In a solemn ceremony, Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres honoured the memory of 485 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty during 2021, ¡°the highest number of colleagues¡± ever lost in a single year while serving the Organization.
¡°We are united in sorrow and solidarity,¡± he said,?consoling the family members and loved ones, joining in the memorial event from all over the world, telling them: ¡°our hearts are with you¡±.
¡®Immeasurable suffering¡¯
Throughout the past year,?COVID-19?continued to cause ¡°immeasurable suffering and death,¡± he said.
Guterres paid tribute to all colleagues who died in service last year, whether through malicious acts, natural disasters, or illness.
¡°Together, they represent the magnificent diversity of our United Nations family,¡± upheld the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ chief.
Profiling the fallen
Hailing from 104 nations, 70 were military personnel, one a police officer and 414 civilian workers, he said.
Their expertise and backgrounds were as diverse as the work they did across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretariat, agencies, funds, and programmes.
¡°Often far from home, without fanfare, they devoted their careers to help others,¡± he added.
Aspiring to lofty goals
¡°Unbowed by cynicism, they worked to make a difference ¨C no matter how high the obstacle; no matter how distant the reward; no matter, even, how difficult the challenge,¡± he said.
They worked to secure peace in forgotten places; fed the hungry; sheltered those driven from their homes; helped protect our planet; delivered life-saving assistance; and fought to give children a better future.
¡°In short, they upheld the vision and values of the United Nations,¡± the Secretary-General declared. ¡°We mourn their passing and cherish their memories¡±.
After a moment of silent reflection on their lives and service, he spoke of a world in turmoil, ¡°scarred by conflicts, threatened by crises and overwhelmed by emergencies¡±.
In hope of joining forces and working together ¡°as one international community¡±, Mr. Guterres reminded that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ is both ¡°the instrument and the expression of that community¡±.
¡°It is the colleagues we honour today who embodied that promise and gave life to that hope,¡± he said.
Dedication and support
The Secretary-General pledged the support of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ for the families of the fallen and to review and improve the safety, care, and wellbeing of its staff.
¡°We vow to carry on with the same dedication and courage that defined their work,¡± he said.
¡°Our colleagues lost their lives, but their spirit to help others lives on ¨C today and every day,¡± stated the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ chief, adding that may their memory be ¡°a blessing and an inspiration to us all¡±.
