(BOISE, ID) — While the pistons of politics were firing on all cylinders at the Idaho Republican Convention in Nampa, Dr. Anthony Harper had something else which was foremost on his mind. He was mentally preoccupied with the planned construction of a conference centre by the Lithuanian government, known as the Vilnius Congress Centre project, located on the old Jewish cemetery in Vilnius.
The proposal has been slammed by world leaders, Jewish community heads and Rabbinical authorities from across the globe.
Dr Harper is the lead investigative White House journalist with the InterMountain Christian News regarding Anti-Semitism and Religious Freedom violation concerns.
At the Idaho Republican Convention, Dr. Harper took time out with Senator James E. Risch who had previously penned a letter together with two other Senators, Ben Cardin and Pat Roberts on July 6, 2018 (see below). They submitted it to then President of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, articulating their opposition to the construction of the conference centre on the Old Vilna Jewish Cemetery at Piramónt, in the Šnipiškės section of Vilnius.
Lithuania is part of the EU and also a NATO member.
On the sidelines, Senator Risch confirmed with Dr. Harper that he had met with the Lithuanian Ambassador, Rolandas Kriščiūnas and that the Honorable Ambassador made it clear that there will be no conference centre on the cemetery. “I assured the Ambassador that Uncle Sam will be watching,” said Senator Risch assuringly.
Dr. Harper has made bold efforts of reporting on the government’s efforts to desecrate the cemetery. In January 2020, he met with the Lithuanian Ambassador to Israel Lina Antanavičienė at her office in Tel Aviv, along with a Jewish delegation of Rabbis to voice their opposition to the construction of the conference centre in the middle of the cemetery. View the video.
“The Lithuanian government’s plan to desecrate the old Jewish cemetery in Vilnius
is not only against President Trump’s wishes, but totally against the beliefs of fellow evangelicals, fellow Americans and believers in democracy,” said Dr. Harper. Evangelicals represent an estimated 1 billion in global membership.
The Save Vilna is a campaign to stop the construction of the conference centre (Vilnius Congress Centre) by the Lithuanian government. You can view more about the campaign in video at https://www.savevilna.org/vids
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Website: savevilna.org
Jonathan Braun
gadgadood@gmail.com