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Staff Members of the UN Office in Belarus Paid a Tribute to Fallen Colleagues
At the ceremony in the UN
Headquarters in New York relatives and friends of those who died in Iraq lit 22
candles and then their names were enunciated. Deputy Secretary–General Luise
Frechette inaugurated a memorial plaque in the building of the UN Secretariat in
New York. A flag fluttering over the building of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad
at the moment of explosion was placed nearby. "This attack brought us face to
face with danger in a new and more intimidating form the danger that we,
servants of the United Nations, may have become one of the main targets of
political violence", said the special statement of UN Secretary–General. Kofi
Annan also noted that another 17 people — UN peacekeepers and civil personnel —
have died on mission since the terrorist attack in Baghdad.
«In
October 2003 the UN Secretary–General inaugurated a memorial to pay tribute to
all UN personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the UN since
the organization was established", — Ilya Todorovich,
Acting UN Resident
Coordinator/Head of UNHCR Office in Belarus, said at the ceremony which was held
on 19 August in the UN Office in Minsk. «It is not an easy task to rebuild a
country like Iraq torn by war and strife. To ensure political stability, to meet
the enormous humanitarian needs and to give special attention to those most
vulnerable persons — these are all not just the UN's direct mandate but it is a
higher calling that only committed and qualified persons can fully meet. They,
like us, have answered such a calling even if it placed them in harm's way.
Today we commemorate courage and beliefs of these 22 people in furthering peace
for the betterment not only of a single country but also for all of humankind»,
— said Ilya Todorovich.
The memorial ceremony included demonstration of a documentary video film
«A Tribute to the Team» commemorating the UN personnel killed in Baghdad and
presentation of the photo album reflecting a visit of Sergio Vieira de Mello to
Belarus in October 1998.
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