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STORY: UN / ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICE
TRT: 02:55
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 06 JUNE 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, flags outside UN Headquarters
06 JUNE 2024, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, conference room, violin music playing
3. Various shots, Secretary-General António Guterres arrival
4. Tilt up, Secretary-General lighting memorial candle
5. Wide shot, Secretary-General at the podium
6. Wide shot, conference room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Today we remember and honour the 188 United Nations personnel who lost their lives in 2023, in the line of duty.”
8. Pan right, flowers
9. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Some were killed with their families by bombardment of their homes; others were at work, both in offices and shelters. I repeat my call for a full accounting for each and every one of these deaths. We owe this to their family members and friends; to their colleagues; and to the world. Our UNRWA personnel lived and died as representatives of the international community in Gaza, and that community deserves an explanation.”
9. Pan right, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“They were teachers, drivers, doctors, sanitation workers, guards, pharmacists, administrative assistants and more. They were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives. They were our colleagues. They were our friends. And I am personally devastated that despite our best efforts, we could not protect our personnel in Gaza.”
10. Wide shot, Guterres speaking
11. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“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; and as the global majority endure economic turmoil, we stand for inclusive, sustainable development that leaves no one behind.”
12. Various shots, moment of silence
During a memorial service in honour of United Nations personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2023, Secretary-General António Guterres said the 135 United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) personnel killed in Gaza, “lived and died as representatives of the international community in Gaza, and that community deserves an explanation.”
In total, 188 United Nations personnel lost their lives in 2023.
Guterres said some of the UNRWA personnel “were killed with their families by bombardment of their homes; others were at work, both in offices and shelters.” He reiterated his call “for a full accounting for each and every one of these deaths.”
The Secretary-General said, “they were teachers, drivers, doctors, sanitation workers, guards, pharmacists, administrative assistants and more. They were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives. They were our colleagues. They were our friends. And I am personally devastated that despite our best efforts, we could not protect our personnel in Gaza.”
In conclusion, Guterres said, “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; and as the global majority endure economic turmoil, we stand for inclusive, sustainable development that leaves no one behind.”
The 135 UNRWA personnel killed in Gaza represent the highest number of UN personnel killed in a single conflict or natural disaster since the creation of the United Nations.
