UN fund planned to support families of staff killed in action

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced a fund will be set up to provide assistance the families of United Nations personnel who have been killed in the line of duty.

The announcement was made as the Secretary-General released the plans for the first fund raising event. Ban was attending the XIII Olympic Congress when he made the announcement. The United Nations media release said the details of the fund have not yet been announced, however, the funds raised will be distributed to the relatives of staff killed as they performed their official duties in humanitarian and peace operations worldwide. “We have so many United Nations [personnel], international or national, who are unfortunately [killed in action]. They need your help,” he said. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge and Ban signed a soccer ball that is made from paper and wrapped up in plastic bags and tied with strings gathered from a slum in Kenya. This soccer ball is to be auctioned at an upcoming fund raising event hosted by Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, a UN Messenger of Peace.