United Nations Secretary-General attends Canal Hotel bombing memorial in Anami on World Humanitarian Day

The United Nations Secretary-General attended a memorial in Anami on Aug. 19, World Humanitarian Day, to commemorate the Canal Hotel bombing and honor survivors and colleagues who died, including Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Nearly 22 years after the Feb. 2003 attack, the Secretary-General said "almost 22 years ago, the United Nations family suffered the worst terrorist attack in the history of our organization," and urged that the day be kept as a remembrance of those who died and of the continued risks faced by humanitarian workers.

"They were sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, and friends who are to this day mourned by those they knew and loved," the Secretary-General said, adding that the memorial "stands as a tribute to their lives and their contributions to the people of Iraq." He also praised survivors and colleagues who rushed to help on the day of the attack and in its aftermath.

Organizers opened the program with a ceremonial presentation by the United Nations Guard unit and invited the Secretary-General to speak. The remarks linked the Canal Hotel bombing with World Humanitarian Day, noting that the date of Aug. 19 has become a global day of remembrance for humanitarian workers inside and outside the organization.

Speakers emphasized the memorial's role as both a tribute to those killed and as a reminder of the dangers faced by humanitarian personnel. The event included formal acknowledgment of survivors and of the contribution of United Nations staff in Iraq since 2003.

No policy actions, votes, or formal decisions were recorded during the memorial. The gathering was ceremonial and commemorative in nature.