Marking 60 years of UN assistance, Ban honours courage of Palestinians

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute today to Palestinian refugees, who he said had shown great courage in the face of conflict, as well as to the efforts over the past 60 years of the United Nations agency tasked with assisting them.

When the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was set up in 1949, no on anticipated that its humanitarian and human development work would be needed for this long, Mr. Ban said in a video message to a concert in Vienna to mark the agency’s 60th anniversary.

“But, until there is a final settlement of the conflict, I am confident that UNRWA will continue to be a source of strength and support for millions of Palestinian refugees,” he told the gathering, which included Austrian President Heinz Fischer and UNRWA Commissioner-General Karen AbuZayd.

Established by the General Assembly following the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, UNRWA is the main provider of basic services – education, health, relief and social services – to over 4.6 million registered Palestine refugees in the Middle East.

In marking the agency’s anniversary, “we also honour a people who have shown great courage in the face of conflict,” said Mr. Ban. “A people who have strived to better their lives and those of their children, in particular through education.

“That effort will gain new support with a scholarship fund for Palestinian refugee students to be launched here in Vienna – and generously supported by the OPEC Fund for International Development.”

UNRWA kicked off a series of worldwide events on 14 May to commemorate its anniversary, beginning with the release of 60 blue balloons over Ramallah as a symbol of hope rising over obstacles and uniting those who have been separated and scattered.