It is Friday afternoon and yet another invitation has just landed on my desk. This one is a personal favorite, and close to my heart, The 2011 Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner honoring the wonderful Mia Farrow.

Being a volunteer for different charities , I for years tried to impart that one does not need to be Jewish to support, nor understand the importance of bringing Genocide & Prejudice to an end.

It is really about understanding what happened during the Holocaust and committing to never allowing it to happen again. Not only to the Jews, but to any human being.

Being the granddaughter of a survivor, I feel the commitment and moral obligation to Tikun Olam (perfecting the world) is crucial, and undoubtedly at the top of my agenda.

Holocaust Museum Houston will honor actress, activist and humanitarian Mia Farrow this May with its internationally recognized 2011 Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award in honor of her tireless years of service as an advocate for human rights around the world.

Farrow will receive the award during the museum’s annual dinner set for Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 7:00pm at the Hilton Americas- Houston.

I felt chills when I heard the phrase “with knowledge comes responsibility”.

Mia Farrow most certainly has done just that. Over the years, her constant efforts have reminded us that once we become aware of the kinds of injustice occurring in places like Darfur and the Congo- we have a moral obligation to act. We cannot be bystanders to hatred and genocide.

Farrow has appeared in more than 40 films, but she is equally known for her role as an unrelenting advocate for human rights. Her Primary focus has been on conflict affected regions in sub Saharan Africa. Since 2004, Farrow has travelled to the Darfur region of Sudan 13 times and has written extensively about the Darfur crisis.

Farrow serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEFF, and has also worked extensively to eradicate polio, which she survived as a child.

She made a major effort to focus public attention on China’s support for the government of Sudan, with a special focus on 2008 summer Olympics that was held in Beijing. Most notably she applied pressure to filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who ultimately withdrew as artistic adviser to the 2008 Olympic broadcast. As a result of efforts by Farrow and others, the international Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir.

Holocaust Museum Houston created the Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award in 1994 in cooperation with the Johnson family.

The museum is dedicated to educating people about the Holocaust, remembering the 6 million Jews, and other innocent victims, and honoring the survivors’ legacy using the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides. The museum teaches the danger of hatred, prejudice and apathy.

Previous recipients have included activist and humanitarian John Prendergast, US Sen. John McCain, television producer Norman Lear, the Houston Community of Holocaust survivors: the Late Daniel Pearl, Colin Powell, former US Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, former US Sen. Robert Dole, film maker Steven Spielberg and former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, among others.

Out of all the community and social events I attend, and believe me sometimes I feel a few too many, by far this is one of my favorites!

An educational and inspiring evening in the graceful presence of the wonderful Mia Farrow? Don’t know about you, but I am not going to miss this one out.

Should you choose to join me, our wonderful staff at the Holocaust Museum Houston will help you make the necessary arrangements.

Holocaust Museum Houston- 713.942.8000

I hope to see you there!

Lilly Lazarus