26/11 survivor calls for concerted action to combat scourge as victims honoured

Terrorism is borderless and the United Nations as well as the international community need to put their weight behind ending the scourge a survivor of the 2611 Mumbai terror attacks Karambir Singh Kang said as the UN paid tributes to terror victims globally The UN General Assembly has established August 21 as the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of TerrorismThe day honours remembers and pays tribute to all victims and survivors of terrorism across the world highlighting the importance of global solidarity and ensuring their stories and experiences are not forgotten This year the day focused on the theme Legacy Finding Hope and Building a Peaceful FutureTerrorism is borderless It can happen anywhere anytime United Nations needs to pull its weight on some of these matters which globally affect all of us Kang said at a special virtual event organised by the UN Monday to mark the 6th commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of TerrorismIts important that we have all the countries to cooperate and put an end to this scourge Its not easy Its easier said than done But if there is resolve anything can be done Kang said Kang who was General Manager of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai when the 2611 terror attacks occurred lost his wife and two sons in the barbaric attack He and his team have received global accolades for saving many guests during the terror attacksAlso read Green light for Goregaon Creek bridge MCZMA grants crucial clearanceMy family was in the hotel on the top floor Thats where we were temporarily living They could not escape Kang says in the virtual event visibly choking up In the video message Kang spoke about the harrowing tragedy that unfolded when 10 Pakistani terrorists of the LashkareTaiba unleashed mayhem and horror in Mumbai He has shared his experiences on various global platforms and is a vocal proponent of global support and action for victims and survivors of terror attacksKang has spoken in the Call to Action at the first United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism in 2022 and at the dedication ceremony of the United Nations Victims of Terrorism Solidarity Tree at UN Headquarters in New York in June 2023 During the attack my wife and two young sons who were at the hotel could not be saved In an instant my whole world fell apart Kang had said in his remarks at the tree dedication ceremony that was held on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the USThe solidarity tree is planted on the Northeast Lawn of the UN headquarters right behind the bust of Mahatma Gandhi which was a gift of India to the UN and installed during Indias Presidency of the Security Council in December 2022Kang has recounted that on the evening of the attack there were 2000 people at the Taj hotel including 400 of his staff members In the ensuing mayhem that continued for three days we lost over 30 lives of our guests and staff members Kang and his staff with the help of a few local policemen were able to save over 1900 lives that night before help came A total of 166 people were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60hour siege attacking and killing people at iconic and vital locations of MumbaiUN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres said the international day pays tribute to the extraordinary work of the victims and survivors of terror attacks who have resolved to use their experiences to bring about change He called on people to commit to supporting victims and survivors to amplify their voices to work together to ensure that the lives taken and changed by terrorism are never forgottenAs part of the activities to mark International Day the United Nations Office of CounterTerrorism UNOCT launched the Legacy Project a documentary gallery on Instagram featuring victims and survivors of terrorism from across the world who share their storiesThe Legacy Project seeks to pay tribute to those whose lives have been lost or forever transformed by terrorism and to reach out to new generations to deepen and transform their understanding of the longlasting impact of terrorism Among the stories highlighted in the interactive Legacy Gallery is that of Nidhi Chaphekar from India a survivor of the ISIS bombing at Zaventem Airport in Brussels Belgium in March 2016She was a cabin manager for the Indian airline Jet Airways Chaphekar became the face of the victims of the terror attack as a photograph showing her slumped on a chair in the airport her stunned face bloodied and covered in dust and her yellow Jet Airways uniform blazer ripped apart showcased to the world the horror of the attack and the ordinary citizens impacted by itAn accompanying exhibition currently on display in the Visitors Lobby of the United Nations Headquarters here features 17 lifesize images of victims and survivors of terrorism Showcasing their Memories through meaningful personal objects the exhibit provides a snapshot of the resilience and legacy of each victim and survivor of terrorismThis year also marks the 20th anniversary of the bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad Iraq on August 19 2003 which killed 22 UN staff and humanitarian aid workers including the United Nations Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for Iraq Seacutergio Vieira de Mello Victims and survivors of terrorism from Uganda the United States and the United Nations also shared their experiences during the virtual eventThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever