NEW YORK, Thursday, June 06, 2024 (WAFA) – The United Nations today held the annual memorial service for 188 staff members who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2023.
In his remarks, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated: “Today we remember and honor the 188 United Nations personnel who lost their lives in 2023, in the line of duty.”
“They were the embodiment of nations united. They were multilateralism in action. And they made the ultimate sacrifice for that cause,” he added.
Among those personnel are 135 women and men who worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, and were killed in the course of the Israeli genocidal war on the Strip.
“That is by far the highest number of our personnel killed in a single conflict or natural disaster since the creation of the United Nations – a reality we can never accept,” Guterres added.
He noted “Some were killed with their families by bombardment of their homes; others were at work, both in offices and shelters,” and reiterated his call for “a full accounting for each and every one of these deaths.”
He pointed out that the UN has sought the consent of family members for the inclusion of their loved ones’ names in today’s service. “Unfortunately, we were unable to contact many of the family members of our UNRWA colleagues because they have either been killed or forced from their homes by Israeli military operations.”
“I am personally devastated that despite our best efforts, we could not protect our personnel in Gaza,” he went on to say.
He revealed that the UN personnel who lost their lives in 2023 were from a total of 37 countries and 18 different UN entities. They were military, police and civilian personnel.
“In our divided world, the values of the United Nations are more important than ever: As conflicts proliferate and countries devote more resources to weapons, we stand for peace through diplomacy and dialogue; As hatred and discrimination increase, we stand for the human rights and dignity of every single person,” he added.
He stressed that “as the global majority endure economic turmoil, we stand for inclusive, sustainable development that leaves no one behind.”
“Despite our differences, we should all agree that those who serve these values under the UN flag are entitled to protection.”
In conclusion, Guterres thanked all UN fallen colleagues for their service and pledged that “we will do our best to provide adequate support to their surviving family members; we will continually review and improve our safety standards; and we will keep their memories alive.”
