8-9 October 2024, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), contributed to the 2024 UN International Conference on Victims of Terrorism, co-organized at the Palacio de Congresos Europa in Vitoria-Gasteiz, by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Kingdom of Spain.
Hon. Rita Theodorou Superman (Cyprus), PAM Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism, represented the Assembly, delivering remarks during the High-Level Segment.
Held under the theme “Education as a Tool for Prevention, Peacebuilding and Empowerment of Victims of Terrorism”, the Conference gathered over 400 participants, including Member States, victims of terrorism, victims’ associations, as well as UN representatives, to discuss the role of victims and survivors of terrorism as educators, peacebuilders and key agents for change.
In her intervention, Hon. Superman emphasized the role of PAM as a platform for political and intercultural dialogue, aiming at building effective cooperation in its regions, and beyond, fostering the culture of tolerance and mutual understanding. She stressed the need to ensure access to education for the victims of terrorism, empowering and providing them with the necessary tools and skills to become active agents of peace by sharing their own experiences.
Hon Superman added that over the years PAM has provided guidelines for its Member Parliaments to integrate international legal instruments into national legislations, in order to harmonize and synchronize parliamentary efforts with the global Counter-Terrorism strategy, including the UN Model Legislative Provisions, to which PAM has substantially contributed, and the UN Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme.
Finally, she referred to the PAM Communication Campaign Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, which has the objective to raise awareness and share practices on this heinous crime by terrorist and criminal groups that take advantage of people forcibly displaced within their own countries, or obliged to escape to third countries due to a number of factors, such as wars or environmental degradation.
During the Conference, survivors and victims of terrorism presented a “Call to Action”, highlighting the importance of including victims’ voices in policies and strategies to prevent and counter terrorism, along with reminding to Member States and organizations that “supporting victims is an integral part of building peace”.
Their call was echoed by His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, who thanked them for their powerful and moving testimonies. The United Nations’ Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, Amb. Vladimir Voronkov, expressed his hope that the Conference could “stimulate a vision for a strengthened, responsive, and fit-for-purpose victims of terrorism agenda.”
Among the other high-level speakers there were H.E Mr. José Manuel Albares Bueno, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs; H.E. Mr. Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez, Spanish Minister of the Interior; and H.E. Mr. Salih Husain Ali, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Iraq to Spain, speaking on behalf of H.E. Mr. Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Iraq.
PAM remains steadfast in its commitment to prioritizing support for victims and advancing legislative frameworks that strengthen international cooperation and enhance preventive measures. //