Honouring Personnel Killed in Duty In 2022, Secretary-General Says Their Service Embodied Principles, Promise of United Nations to Build ‘a World of Peace’

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the Annual Memorial Service to Honour United Nations Personnel Who Lost Their Lives in the Line of Duty from 1 January to 31 December 2022, in New York today:

We come together to honour the memory of the United Nations personnel who lost their lives over the last year, serving our Organization. We are here to mourn together, to remember together and to pay our respects together.  And we are privileged to do so with the family members joining us today, whether in person or online.  Please know that our hearts are with you.

The 77 women and men who lost their lives last year were our colleagues and our friends.  They were military, police and civilian personnel.  And they came from across the globe, representing 36 nationalities in all.

Their service embodied the principle and the promise of the United Nations: the principle of our common humanity and the promise to act on it; to work together to solve shared challenges; and build a world of peace, prosperity and human rights for all.  Mission by mission, programme by programme, day by day, members of the United Nations family breathe life into that noble vision.

Frequently they work amidst jeopardy and difficulty.  Peacekeepers, for example, are increasingly protecting civilians in places where there is no peace to keep.  Humanitarian aid workers are venturing deeper into disaster-stricken regions, and closer to the front lines of conflict. 

Yet whatever their role, and whatever the circumstance, all those we honour today dedicated themselves to others.  Their courage saved lives.  Their commitment safeguarded those in need.  And their expertise helped to build a better world — now and in the future.

In a divided and dangerous world, the vision and values that our blue flag represents are more important than ever.  In the name of those we have lost, we resolve to continue our essential mission.  We pledge to keep supporting families.  We commit to continually review and improve the safety, care and well-being of our staff. 

And we vow to keep the memories of our fallen colleagues alive — in our thoughts, in our hearts, and in our work to build a life of dignity and hope for all.  Thank you.