Dinner Fundraiser for Rights Museum
by David O'Brien - Wpg Free Press - January 16th 2004

   Winnipeg's Jewish and Italian communities are joining forces to celebrate the life of Izzy Asper and to raise money for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

   The annual Sons of Italy fundraising dinner March 20 at the Fairmont Hotel will donate the proceeds to the new museum, a legacy project of Asper, who died last October. And a week of activities before the dinner will see the two communities pay tribute to Asper and his lifetime commitment to Winnipeg.

   Joe Bova, owner of Manshield Construction and a leader of the city's Italian community, said Italians admired Asper's passionate defence of liberty and his opposition to prejudice and bigotry. Bova said he hoped other ethnic groups in the city will join the effort to build the $200-million museum, tentatively scheduled to open at The Forks in 2008. "The museum is vitally important to the sprirt of the city," he said. "We shouldn't leave the burden (of building it) to the Aspers. We should all get involved because it affects all of us."

   As part of the celebrations, the Jewish National Fund is sponsoring a movie based on the life of an Italian hero who saved Jews during the Second World War . (The date, time, and place haven't been set.)

   Rami Kleinmann, the Jewish fund's emissary to the Prairie region, said it's appropriate that the museum is being built in Winnipeg. Kleinmann said he has lived in many places, including Israel, where he was born, but Winnipeg is unique as a model of cultural diversity and tolerance. The federal government has committed $30 million to the museum, but it is expected to donate another $70 million over time. The province and city are each contributing $20 million , leaving the Asper Foundation to raise another $60 million. About $22 million in private donations has been raised so far.