UN Chief Urges Renewed Commitment to Peace Despite Strains on Global Cooperation
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on Tuesday for renewed commitment to peace and international cooperation, as wars rage, temperatures rise, and pressure on human rights grows. Speaking at a wreath-laying ceremony marking the 65th anniversary of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld’s death, Guterres said his predecessor’s values remain guiding lights in today’s turbulent times. Hammarskjöld died…
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on Tuesday for renewed commitment to peace and international cooperation, as wars rage, temperatures rise, and pressure on human rights grows. Speaking at a wreath-laying ceremony marking the 65th anniversary of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld’s death, Guterres said his predecessor’s values remain guiding lights in today’s turbulent times. Hammarskjöld died in a 1961 plane crash along with 15 colleagues and staff while traveling to negotiate a ceasefire in Katanga, Congo. Guterres said he had received the latest investigative report from former Tanzanian Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman and would soon submit recommendations to the General Assembly. He appealed to member states to disclose any relevant documents that could help establish the truth, saying the victims’ families, the UN, and the world deserve answers. Guterres urged the global community to confront today’s crises “with integrity rather than raw power, with empathy for those who suffer, and with humility,” saying: “Let us be fearless, let us be fair, and let us never give up on peace.”
