Mme France Marquet, represent SAF at UNESCO attended Resilience and Remembrance: 20 years after the 2004 India Ocean Tsunami
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris -
27th November 2024
The UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission commemorated the 20th anniversary of the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at a solemn event held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The ceremony brought together ambassadors, survivors, and advocates to honor the resilience and courage of communities affected by the tragedy.
The event began with a high-level opening session, featuring remarks by senior diplomats from the most severely impacted countries—India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Japan. These statements emphasized the importance of global solidarity and disaster preparedness in reducing future risks.
A poignant segment, Stories of Resilience, highlighted personal accounts of survival and rebuilding. Survivors from Indonesia and Sri Lanka shared their moving testimonies, and a visual presentation by photographers Matt Porteous and Tamsin Raine showcased the enduring human spirit through the UNESCO-Nautilus tsunami survivor project. A video message from Petra Nemcova, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Disaster Risk Reduction, underscored the ongoing need for global attention to preparedness efforts.
The event concluded with a tribute to human resilience. A moment of silence was observed, followed by a symbolic flag-raising ceremony featuring the flags of countries that suffered fatalities in the 2004 disaster. Representatives of these nations joined survivors in a powerful act of remembrance and unity.
This commemoration served as both a solemn reflection on the tragedy and a reaffirmation of UNESCO's commitment to building resilience and reducing disaster risks worldwide.
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