29 April 2008

This year, the programme for the Day of Remembrance included the following: (a) commemorative session in the Ieper Room, including statements by H.E. Mr Rogelio Pfirter, Director-General of the OPCW; H.E. Mr Abuelgasim Abdelwahid Shiekh Idris, Chairman of the Conference of the States Parties; Mr Ed Kronenburg, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; and Mr G.P.H. Huffnagel, Vice-Mayor of The Hague; (b) laying of flowers at the Memorial site; and (c) reception. The invitees included representatives of the Member States, local government, non-governmental and international organisations, and young students, represented by a delegation of international schools from the Netherlands.

UN Secretary-General, in remembrance day message, says adherence to convention is genuine way to honour all victims of chemical warfare

The Conference of the States Parties at its Tenth Session (C-10/5, dated 11 November 2005) decided that a Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare would be observed on 29 April each year – the date in 1997 on which the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force.

This commemoration provides an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the Organisation’s commitment to the elimination of the chemical weapons threat, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism.

Additional information may be obtained from the Protocol and Visa Branch, External Relations Division. The contact person is Ms Milijana Danevska, who can be reached at +31 (0)70 416 3772.