<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>King Felipe VI inaugurated this Tuesday in Vitoria the UN Conference on Victims of Terrorism, in which he paid tribute to “those who were killed, injured or kidnapped during the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israel”, which “have unleashed a wave of bloodshed and horror that has engulfed the Middle East”.</strong></h4> “On a day like today, we must not -and do not- forget those who were killed, injured or kidnapped during the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israel, which yesterday marked one year,” said the Monarch during his speech at the opening of the United Nations International Conference on Victims of Terrorism, jointly organized by the United Nations Office for the Fight against Terrorism (UNOCT), the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior and the City Council of Vitoria under the motto “Education as an instrument for prevention, peace building and the empowerment of victims of terrorism” and which will conclude this Wednesday. “These violent, cruel and ruthless acts have unleashed a wave of bloodshed and horror that has engulfed the Middle East,” he recalled. “The Middle East deserves and urgently needs a realistic prospect/ horizon of effective peace and security.,” he warned. The Monarch also recalled that “for many decades, Spain has suffered the scourge of terrorism.” “A profound social and political awareness led the Cortes Generales (Spanish Parliament) to approve in 2011 and unanimously, the Law of Recognition and Comprehensive Protection of Victims of Terrorism, inspired by the principles of memory, dignity, justice and truth,” he continued. “The law turns the commitment to the tribute and comprehensive reparation of victims into a powerful tool for the ethical, social and political delegitimization of those who use violence to spread terror,” he added. Don Felipe<strong> also called for "staying united" in the fight against terrorism and in defence of the victims</strong>, whose rights and needs, he stressed, are "a priority issue for Spain". <h5><strong>Albares and Marlaska</strong></h5> The opening session was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares; the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Counterterrorism Office, Vladimir Voronkov (by videoconference); the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; and the Lehendakari of the Basque Government, Imanol Pradales. In his speech, José Manuel Albares highlighted Spain's commitment to multilateral organisations dedicated to the protection and defence of victims and the fight against terrorism, such as the Global Forum against Terrorism, the Global Coalition against Daesh and the United Nations Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, launched in 2019 by our country and currently co-chaired by Spain and Iraq. He also recalled that Spain is promoting the creation of a Global Network of Associations of Victims of Terrorism, which will begin to operate soon, and is contributing financially to it. The minister also recalled that terrorism is a transnational phenomenon and the threats from terrorist groups have global repercussions and mentioned the Sahel as the "epicenter of the activity of terrorist groups and organised crime". For this reason, he recalled the importance that Spain has always given to what happens in this neighbouring region of our country, and, “therefore, of Europe”, and which has become a focus of attention for both the European Union and the transatlantic partners, who included in their Strategic Concept, “at Spain’s request”, the Southern Neighbourhood. For his part, Vladimir Voronkov stated during his speech that, “only in the last year, terrorist attacks have claimed hundreds of lives, caused incalculable misery and left a trail of devastation in their wake”. “Every act of terrorism, wherever it occurs, tells a story of indiscriminate violence, regardless of nationality, gender, age or religion”, continued the Russian diplomat, who also recalled that this Monday “marked one year since the attacks of October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel and killed more than 1,250 Israelis and foreigners”. Nearly 400 experts, political leaders and victims and their families from around the world are participating in this International Conference, which follows up on the first Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, held in September 2022 at the UN headquarters in New York and in which Spain proposed the creation of a United Nations Trust Fund for victims.
