On Wednesday, Oct. 26, I attended the Fifth Annual United Nations (UN) Memorial Service at their headquarters in New York City.
The solemn event, presided over by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, commemorated men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice working for peace.
This year, the UN honored 210 members who perished between January 1, 2015 and the end of June 2016.
Inspirational Remarks
After lighting a candle, the UN Secretary General recognized the sacrifices of the fallen with words including the following:
“The men and women we recognize today came from all corners of the world. They served in difficult and dangerous conditions. What drew them together? Our blue flag and all it represents. All countries. All faiths. All people. One flag. Others have tried to turn it into a target. But the flag remains a beacon.”
As hundreds of UN representatives, peacekeepers, and family members of the fallen listened to the Secretary General, these words from his speech echoed throughout the assembly: “There is nothing more powerful than the human spirit.”
Jori DeMarco: Peacekeeper
Jori DeMarco. (courtesy DeMarco family)
Aside from the over 200 fallen peacekeepers honored at this sacrosanct memorial, the Secretary General paid special tribute to Jori DeMarco, a security officer killed while serving the Observer Mission in Tajikistan.
This was a profound honor for DeMarco, a peacekeeper for the world. It was also an inspiration for his family who attended, including his beloved wife Beatrice, his mother Jo, his brother Daren, and other family members, including myself. Jori was my cousin.
