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Sergio Vieira de Mello: Resting place in Geneva

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (third from right), his wif' 1)o Soon-tack (right), Se; gel Ord:honikid;e (left), Director-General of the United
Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG); andfamilies of the staff mem bers killed in the Baghdad bombing of the UN Offices, visit the monument of
Sergio Vieira de Me/b, former Head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq, in Geneva, Switzerland. JUN Photo/Es/cinder Debebe

Nations operations of peace
in
place
With the tragedy that conti- Secretary-General. Resting
This
nues in Iraq, the fourth anni- humanitarian mission was to making and peace keeping. Geneva
versary of the attack on the "help the people' ... of His brutal and untimely
United Nations headquarters Iraq. death in Baghdad was His resting place in Geneva
in Baghdad falls on 19 expressed as a huge loss to emphasises the important
August 2007. It is a time to Loss to humanity the United Nations and to role Sergio Vieira de Mello
remember the brutal and humanity. In April 2004 played for a number of years
unwarranted death of collea- Following the burial cere- Sergio Vieira de Mello pos- in the international life of
received
the city most recently from
gues including one of the mony for Sergio Vieira de thumously
UN's charismatic ambassa- Mello (1948-2003), I visited "Statesman of the Year September 2002 as the late
dors of all time. the Cemetery of Plainpalais, Award". United Nations High
or Cimetiere des Rois, in the Commissioner for Human
News of an explosion that heart of Geneva. In this Geneva ceremony Rights.
hit the United Nations buil- oasis of peace and tranquilli-
ding in Baghdad on 19 ty, his grave was marked On 24 October 2003 the With its own history, the
August 2003 provoked stun- with a simple cross and Director-General of the Cemetery of Plainpalais in
ned shock around the world. adorned with flowers that United Nations Office at Rue des Rois is a resting
The deaths of UN and other had become faded. I spent Geneva inaugurated a place in Geneva for many of
personnel evoked outpou- some poignant moments to monument created to the city's most prominent
ring of international support dwell on his senseless and honour staff members who citizens to which has been
and heartfelt condolences tragic death. have given their lives for added the illustrious name
that were expressed for the peace and in defence of the of Sergio Vieira de Mello
families of victims injured Obituaries and tributes from ideals of the United Nations. (15 March 1948- 19 August
or killed in the murderous around the world praised The monument is made of a 2003).
blast caused by a terrorist him as an accomplished large granite stone pointed
attack. Memorial services diplomat who had given towards the sky; next to it Note. Acknowledgement is
took place for colleagues long service to the United stands a weeping willow given to all information used
and others who died. Nations. Polyglot and man tree. in preparation of this article.
of the people his easy man- It follows a text entitled A
Epitome of the ideal interna- ner, charisma and charm On the occasion, a special resting place in Geneva
tional civil servant, Sergio were greatly admired. There thought was given to three (Sergio Vieira de Mello),
Vieira de Mello had served is literature and extensive Geneva-based colleagues by Ita Marguet, printed in
the United Nations in diffi- bibliography in several lan- who lost their lives in ILO staff magazine,
cult situations in several guages about the political Baghdad; they joined the UNION, No. 333, Nov-Dec
countries. The last, and most life, humanitarian work and ranks of those who have 2003.
difficult, was his temporary international diplomatic died while serving the
assignment in Iraq from • career of this exceptional United Nations universal ITA MARGUET, AUGUST
May 2003 as Special man who dedicated himself and dangerous missions in 2007
Representative of the UN to many of the United all parts of the world.

3 2007 Diva 25

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