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STORY: UN / GUTERRES AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
TRT: 4:27
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICITONS: COURTESY OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 25 JULY 2025, NEW YORK CITY
1.Wide shot, conference room
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“From the beginning, I have repeatedly condemned the horrific 7 October terror attacks by Hamas. But nothing can justify the explosion of death and destruction since. The scale and scope is beyond anything we have seen in recent times. I cannot explain the level of indifference and inaction we see by too many in the international community. The lack of compassion. The lack of truth. The lack of humanity.”
3. Wide shot, conference room
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Our own heroic staff continue to serve in unimaginable conditions. Many are so numb and depleted that they say they feel neither dead nor alive. Children speak of wanting to go to heaven, because at least, they say, there is food there. We hold video calls with our own humanitarians who are starving before our eyes. This is not just a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral crisis that challenges the global conscience. We will continue to speak out at every opportunity. But words don’t feed hungry children.”
5. Wide shot, conference room
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The United Nations stands ready to make the most of a possible ceasefire to dramatically scale up humanitarian operations across the Gaza Strip, as we successfully did during the previous pause in fighting. Our plans are ready, and they are finalized. We know what works – and we know what does not.”
7. Wide shot, conference room
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We need action. An immediate and permanent ceasefire. The immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access. At the same time, we need urgent, concrete and irreversible steps towards a two-State solution.”
9. Wide shot, conference room
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Dear friends, we are in a global battle for human dignity. For human rights. For justice. For the multilateral system itself. Amnesty International is indispensable in that fight. So, my central message to you today is this: the world needs you more than ever. We need your courage, your creativity, and your clarity. We need your movements – rooted in communities and rising from the ground up – making it clear that leaders cannot turn a blind eye to their obligations. And, yes, we need what you’ve called ‘troublemaking’. The kind that challenges complacency and inaction. That exposes injustice. That drives lasting change.”
11. Wide shot, conference room
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Many countries we must recognize stand firm with human rights. And we must push all countries to defend them – consistently, and universally, even – or especially – when inconvenient. We must urge them to protect and strengthen the international human rights system. We must demand accountability for human rights violations – without fear or favour. And insist that countries honour commitments in the Pact of the Future – to protect civic space, and uphold human rights and gender equality. We must also demand action to confront the flood of lies and hate polluting our digital spaces.”
13. Wide shot, conference room
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“And we need finance – real finance -- for developing countries to cut emissions, adapt to climate shocks, and recover from loss and damage. We must push governments to provide funds they have pledged. And explore new sources of finance – including putting an effective price on carbon, and establishing solidarity levies on polluting sectors and industries.”
15. Wide shot, participants applauding
Addressing the Amnesty International Global Assembly, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for immediate action in Gaza. While reiterating his condemnation of the 7 October terror attacks by Hamas, he said that “nothing can justify the explosion of death and destruction since,” criticizing global indifference and inaction.
Guterres today (25 Jul) addressed the Global Assembly via a video link to the event in Prague. He is the first United Nations Secretary-General to address the Assembly - the charity’s highest decision-making body.
He commended the Amnesty International for being at the forefront of the global struggle for human rights – “fearless, principled and relentless.”
Guterres described a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, citing starving aid workers and traumatized children. He said, “Our own heroic staff continue to serve in unimaginable conditions. Many are so numb and depleted that they say they feel neither dead nor alive. Children speak of wanting to go to heaven, because at least, they say, there is food there. We hold video calls with our own humanitarians who are starving before our eyes.”
“This is not just a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral crisis that challenges the global conscience,” the UN chief stressed.
Guterres once again called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostage, and urgent steps toward a two-State solution.
He said, “The United Nations stands ready to make the most of a possible ceasefire to dramatically scale up humanitarian operations across the Gaza Strip, as we successfully did during the previous pause in fighting. Our plans are ready, and they are finalized. We know what works – and we know what does not.”
The Secretary-General also commended Amnesty International’s “indispensable” role in a global battle for human dignity. For human rights. For justice. For the multilateral system itself.
He said, “We need your movements – rooted in communities and rising from the ground up – making it clear that leaders cannot turn a blind eye to their obligations. And, yes, we need what you’ve called ‘troublemaking’. The kind that challenges complacency and inaction. That exposes injustice. That drives lasting change.”
The UN chief spoke about this year’s focus of the Global Assembly: confronting the rise of authoritarian practices – and advancing climate justice.
Guterres noted that the world is witnessing a surge in repressive tactics aiming at corroding respect for human rights. And these are contaminating some democracies.
“We must right these wrongs,” the UN chief stressed.
He said, “Many countries we must recognize stand firm with human rights. And we must push all countries to defend them – consistently, and universally, even – or especially – when inconvenient.”
He continued, “We must urge them to protect and strengthen the international human rights system. We must demand accountability for human rights violations – without fear or favour. And insist that countries honour commitments in the Pact of the Future – to protect civic space, and uphold human rights and gender equality. We must also demand action to confront the flood of lies and hate polluting our digital spaces.”
On climate justice, the UN chief called for “real finance” to support developing nations grappling with climate disasters. He urged nations to fulfill pledges and explore new sources of finance – “including putting an effective price on carbon, and establishing solidarity levies on polluting sectors and industries.”
Founded in 1961, Amnesty International is a global human rights movement that campaigns to end abuses and promote justice. The organization has long worked in collaboration with the United Nations, participating actively in the development of international human rights law and mechanisms.
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