A memorial ceremony was held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, in the presence of representatives of diplomatic missions and United Nations employees, on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day and the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attack that targeted the United Nations headquarters at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement: “During the ceremony, a wreath was laid on the memorial that commemorates this tragic incident.”
The Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Atul Khare, delivered a speech on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations in New York, Abbas Kadhim Obaid, referred in a speech to the twenty-first anniversary of the terrorist bombing that targeted the Canal Hotel in Baghdad on August 19, 2003, which resulted in the loss of the Special Representative of the United Nations in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and many of his colle
agues.
He added: “Their sacrifices reinforce human values, and our stand today is a tribute to their legacy and sacrifices, and an encouragement to those who continue this vital work despite the risks.”
He also pointed out that on the same date, six years later, on August 19, 2009, Iraq witnessed another tragedy when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was attacked, which led to the martyrdom of 47 employees and the injury of 600 others.
He stressed that these terrorist crimes did not deter humanitarian workers in the field from continuing their noble tasks, indicating that Iraq affirms its firm commitment to supporting global efforts to confront terrorism, offering condolences on behalf of the Government of Iraq to the families of the victims.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency