Page 41 - Bulletin, Vol.83 No.1, April 2024

She was exceptionally fair and stood for justice, was against inequality and injustice.
We went through painful times (including in the magazine), and she did everything in
her power to ensure that justice prevailed. She also tried to pay tribute to those who
deserved it (for example, to Christian David for his role in the UN Orchestra, even
though he was never officially recognised, Maria knew and recognised this). And she
saw people. She saw those who are dedicated and those who are only career-minded,
she stood with the weak, and the vulnerable, often against the big waves. She was
strong and able to stand up for people. She was much appreciated by her colleagues
and in all the unions.

Knowing her passion and taste (very refined) for photography, we gave her a camera
which she used with pleasure on her travels while sending us her works on retirement.
She continued to be active in the unions for several more years, but we very much
regretted the changes in the magazine, our magazine. I shared with her the joy that we
were selected finalists for the SG Awards for Volunteerism, that was a quality of Maria -
she did everything from the heart, with great passion, and voluntarily. I know she had
many other important and inspiring projects with the WHO, but she belonged to UNOG.
That is how I saw her: we were one family. Unfortunately, some things took a different
turn, including OUR magazine, and I wanted so much to tell her what had happened
over the last few years. We met briefly and I promised to tell her all about it, but then I
retired and after finding my place in AAFI and thinking of Maria, I knew we would meet
again in one way or another, in one of the pensioners' associations. And I had so many
things to say to her. That is why the first thing I planned for 2024 was to invite her to
lunch, to see how she was doing and to share everything with her.

But now I know that is never going to happen. And I'm writing this because I need to say
it and because I miss her so much.

I'm sure that our family colleagues (Sergio Da Silva, André Rotach, David Winch) will
share my feeling: we have lost our dearest family member, one of the most important
family members in our lives - we have lost our Maria. Maria, we will miss you dearly.

AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 83 No.1, 2024-04 40

<<< TDM / TOC