UN pays homage to victims of Paris attacks

The United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) on Friday paid homage to victims of the attacks on Paris-based satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

The commemoration, held at the Palais des Nations where the UNOG is located, started with a minute of silence observed by participants.

Michael Moller, Acting Director-General of UNOG, extended thoughts and sympathies to "the families and friends of the victims of the attack in Paris and with the people and government of France".

"Today we honor the victims through silence, but we will truly honor their memory by speaking up and speaking out, because true courage lies in an open exchange of view and true respect for others comes through dialogue," Moller stressed.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, also paid tribute to victims of the tragedy. "We remember all the victims today, and pray for, and mourn with, their families this morning; their pain is our pain."

"We must speak of the need to love more, to care more, be compassionate more and kind, to include more and be included more, and if we are to derive anything from the vicious murders that took the lives of the people we mourn today, it is that lesson," said Zeid.

Nicolas Niemtchinow, the French Ambassador to the UN office at Geneva who also participated the ceremony, responded to the deadly attack with strong words, highlighting that France "won't flee in the face of violence and obscurantism of a blind terrorism, the enemy of human rights."

Twelve people were killed when masked gunmen stormed the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris on Wednesday. Endit