UN chief honours survivors of terrorism working for peace

By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, Aug. 21, 2023

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, on Monday, honoured survivors of terrorism working for peace, paying respect to the thousands who were lost or harmed through terrorist attacks around the world.

According to him, the UN is launching a project to help survivors’ testimonies be heard.

Guterres, said this at a virtual event to mark the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to Victims of Terrorism.

“Despite wide international condemnation of terrorism, victims and survivors of violence often struggle to have their voices heard, their needs supported, and their rights upheld.

“Most need long-term support – physical, psychological, social and financial.

“However, few Member States have the resources or the capacity to help those affected by terrorism fully recover, rehabilitate and re-integrate into society,” he said.

The 2023 edition, which is the sixth, aims to ensure that victims are not forgotten or neglected once the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack fades.

The focus of the day was a high-level online event, entitled, “Legacy: Finding Hope and Building a Peaceful Future,” which brought together Guterres, the head of the Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), Vladimir Voronkov, the co-Chairs of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, Iraq and Spain, as well as victims and survivors of terrorism.

The UN chief explained that the Legacy Project amplifies the “extraordinary work” of victims and survivors who have resolved to use their experiences to bring about change.

He highlighted the need to support victims and stand with their families, changed forever by attacks.

Guterres stressed the importance of working together to ensure that the lives ravaged by terrorism are not forgotten and to resolve to build a more peaceful future.”

Through its counter terrorism office, the UN strives to help Member States advance victims’ rights and respond to their needs.

In his address, Voronkov, who has met many victims of terrorism around the globe, said that “their scars may fade over time but their pain is lifelong.

“Across every continent, they share an overwhelming commonality: they feel deeply that no-one should have to go through what they went through,” he added.

The social media-based Legacy Project showcases how victims and survivors are creating a positive legacy in the aftermath of attacks. “It highlights hope, resilience, courage and strength, imprinting survivors’ legacy in our collective memory.”

Voronkov reflected on the recent 20th anniversary of the Canal Hotel bomb attack in Baghdad, Iraq, on 19 August, 2003.

Now commemorated as World Humanitarian Day, 22 people died in that tragic terrorist assault on the UN’s headquarters there.

“Terrorism has no respect for nationality, faith, gender, age, or location.

“We must all, in our shared bond as human beings, stand up against it, and work together, with the victims, to build a better future,” the UNOCT chief said.