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STORY: UN / GUTERRES FALLEN UN STAFF
TRT: 03:05
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 05 JUNE 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior UN Headquarters
05 JUNE 2025, NEW YORK CITY
1. Pan left, Secretary-General António Guterres walks up to the podium
2. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The women and men we honour today were not just names on a list. They were extraordinary individuals -- each one a story of courage, compassion, and service. They were driven by the pursuit of peace. By the urgency to ease human suffering. And by the conviction that every person, everywhere, deserves dignity and protection.”
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
3. Close up, camera
05 JUNE 2025, NEW YORK CITY
4. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“This past year has been especially devastating in Gaza. Today’s ceremony includes recognition of 126 of our colleagues killed there -- 125 of them serving with UNRWA. More than one in every 50 UNRWA staff in Gaza has been killed in this atrocious conflict. This is the highest staff death toll in United Nations history.”
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
5. Close up, photographer
05 JUNE 2025, NEW YORK CITY
6. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We will not grow numb to suffering. We will not accept the killing of UN personnel. We will not accept the killing of humanitarians, journalists, medical workers, or civilians as the new normal anywhere and under any circumstances. There must be no room for impunity.”
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
7. Close up, journalist taking notes
05 JUNE 2025, NEW YORK CITY
8. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“It may be fashionable in some quarters to dismiss multilateralism. Financial contributions may be in doubt – the dedication of our staff is not. And in a world where cooperation is under strain – and our challenges are more inter-connected than ever -- we must remember the example set by our fallen colleagues -- and the work being done every day by those who carry their legacy forward.”
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
9. Close up, camera
05 JUNE 2025, NEW YORK CITY
10. Various shots, Secretary-General’s Annual Memorial Service for UN personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty
11. Zoom in, Guterres, General Assembly President Philémon Yang and Security Council President Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett light memorial candle
12. Wide shot, Secretary-General António Guterres walks up to the podium
13. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We honour those who gave everything in the pursuit of peace, justice, and human dignity. Not only were they dear colleagues, they were sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters.”
14. Various shots, moment of silence honouring fallen staff
The United Nations today (5 Jun) paid tribute on Thursday to the 168 staff members who lost their lives in 2024. They include 126 personnel killed in Gaza, all but one of whom served with the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA.
Ahead of a memorial service at Headquarters in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres told journalists that the men and women being honoured “were not just names on a list” but “extraordinary individuals – each one a story of courage, compassion, and service.”
Guterres, speaking outside the Security Council chamber said, “they were driven by the pursuit of peace. By the urgency to ease human suffering. And by the conviction that every person, everywhere, deserves dignity and protection.”
He acknowledged that the past year has been especially devastating for UN humanitarian workers.
The Secretary-General said, “more than one in every 50 UNRWA staff in Gaza has been killed in this atrocious conflict. This is the highest staff death toll in United Nations history.”
He said, “we will not grow numb to suffering. We will not accept the killing of UN personnel. We will not accept the killing of humanitarians, journalists, medical workers, or civilians as the new normal anywhere and under any circumstances. There must be no room for impunity.”
Guterres said, “it may be fashionable in some quarters to dismiss multilateralism. Financial contributions may be in doubt – the dedication of our staff is not. And in a world where cooperation is under strain – and our challenges are more inter-connected than ever -- we must remember the example set by our fallen colleagues -- and the work being done every day by those who carry their legacy forward.”
The Secretary-General later led a memorial ceremony for the fallen staff members and together with General Assembly President Philémon Yang and Security Council President for the month of June, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett lit a memorial candle in their honour.
Before calling for a moment of silence, he said, “we honour those who gave everything in the pursuit of peace, justice, and human dignity. Not only were they dear colleagues, they were sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters.”
