Memorial for Nicholas 'Fink' Haysom Meetings & Events Date: 18 September 2026 Language: Chinese Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/zh/asset/k1c/k1cq1v34f7 Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations. --- UN · 主持人 [0:06]: Dear re becca sim one jul ian che et ah and lou f ink sisters and the rest of the hast ings family Welcome dear friends I don't think there's a need for any other titles here, because for those of us, um. Who knew think and those all of us who are in this room, even if we don't know each other, we're now all friends. We've known think in different moments of his un career in afghanistan, in iraq, in somalia, in south sudan, and even in the combat zone of the 38th floor. Regardless of where or how we came across fink, it's clear that we've lost someone who on, was always on the right side of history, a player, an actor. At critical moments who stood up and was counted, often at real personal cost. Someone with a moral compass that could not be scrambled when he came to choosing right from wrong in world affairs. I know he inspired so many of the people in this room and most importantly, he will continue to inspire all of us. So thank you for being here today. We're going to hear from a variety of speakers, but i first want to start with our chef to cabinet courtney rattray. Cdc, please. UN Secretariat · 办公厅主任 [1:31]: TohisExcellency,Excellencies,DearFriends. Today, we pay tribute to the life and legacy of nicholas, haysom a distinguished and principled loyal tireless peacemaker and steadfast champion of the united nations. I am honored to join you on behalf of the Secretary-General and to share some reflections of my own. Those of us who worked with nich olas or think as many affection ately knew him felt the power of his convictions his commitment to justice No matter how deep the wounds his devotion to dialogue no matter how great the tensions And his pursuit of reconciliation, even when differences seemed insurmountable. As a student leader, and then as a human rights lawyer. He stood up to apartheid, even when it landed him in jail. He provided vital support for south africa's democratic transition. Serving as chief legal and constitutional advisor to president nelson mandela. And after joining the united nations, he led over work in some of the world's most complex and fragile settings from iraq to afghanistan to somalia and beyond. I will never forget visiting him during his final posting as head of UNMISS, the UN mission in South Sudan, and witnessing his team's impact up close. I could see the critical role of peace keeping that he understood in a country recovering from war and how displacement alongside the drought and devastating floods driven by climate change compounded these challenges Under his leadership un miss worked each day to protect civilians facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and support human rights monitoring I could also see how his leadership of the mission helped local populations seize the opportunity to rebuild their communities and restart their lives To every task and in every setting he brought deep legal insight sound political judgment and an unw av ering dedication to improving the lives of people The united nations mourns the loss of a remarkable colleague, friend and mentor. The legacy of nicholas hayes will endure in the peace processes he advanced. The institutions he strengthened, and the principles he helped bring to life around the world. Let us honor his memory by continuing to work for the values he held dear Together with the Secretary-General, I offer my profound condolences to his family. and loved ones and to all our colleagues who found inspiration in his pursuit of peace UN · 主持人 [4:37]: Thank you so much cdc. I know you have to you have to leave us but thank you for those remarks in 2021. Think became the head of the peacekeeping mission in south sudan. And as part of those functions, he had to report to jean-pierre aqua under secretary general for peace operations. So jean-pierre, if you could please come up. Thank you. DPO · 主管和平行动副秘书长 [5:14]: Dear members of the H ays om family Excellency,colleagues,dearfriend. We gather today to remember nich olas hay es a more thing to so many of us who left us at the beginning of this year but obviously whose memory lives on in our hearts Shortly after his demise, together with our colleagues in the united nations missions in south sudan, where he last served this organization, we pay tribute to life of extraordinary service to justice, peace and the united nations. Today we have another opportunity to honor think here in the united nations headquarters a place that perhaps more than any other embodies the ideals and the values to which he devoted his life and his work It is indeed difficult to capture in a few minutes, a life and career of such breadth thing served this country at one of the defining moments in the history of south africa, working alongside president, nelson mandela and contributing to the country's constitutional transformation. He subsequently made a landmark contribution to peace and reconciliation efforts across the continent, successfully facilitating the negotiations that led to the burundi and sudan comprehensive peace agreements. Building on these achievements, he brought his deep commitment to dialogue, peace and justice to the service of the united nations, both here at headquarters and in some of the organization most challenging environments. Namely iraq, afghanistan, somalia, sudan, once again and finally south sudan. But for those of us who had the privilege of working with him his legacy is not measured simply by the position he held or the crisis he helped navigate It was reflected in a way he approached people and problems F ink had an extraordinary ability to bring clarity to difficult situations He could be deeply princip led without being dog matic firm without losing sight of the human dimension and pragmatic while remaining deeply committed to the principle that guided his work He understood that peace processes are ultimately not about documents or political arrangement alone. They're about people, they're about their dignity, their rights, their security, and their hopes for a better future. This was particularly evident in South Sudan, the country to which he had a long-standing personal and professional connection. From his early engagement in the sudanese peace process to his years as special representative and head of unmiss, think remain deeply committed to supporting the people of south sudan. In their pursuit of peace and democracy. As head of unmiss, he led the mission through an exceptionally challenging period. He never lost sight of the responsibility entrusted to the united nations. To stand with the people of south sudan, to protect those at risk, to defend human rights, and to support the political process that could give the country a more peaceful and democratic future. For colleagues across UNMISS and here in New York, Fink was also a remarkable colleague and a friend. His intellect was formidable, and it was accompanied by humility, warmth, and a genuine curiosity about people. He listened carefully, he asked difficult questions. And when the circumstances demanded it he had the courage to speak plainly and to stand firmly by his principles That combination of conviction and humanity, of experience and humility, is perhaps what define think best. Since he left us in March this year F ink has been deeply missed by his family his colleagues and his many friends but he also leaves behind a much larger community of people whose lives And work he touched an influence His example reminds us that principal leadership matters, particularly when circumstances are difficult and the path forward is uncertain. Our task now is not only to remember him but to carry forward what he stood for the belief that peace is possible that justice matters And that the dignity and inspiration of people must remain at the center of our work So, on behalf of the Department of Peace Operation and on my personal behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to Fink's family and loved ones. Think we are missing you but we will remember you and we will carry your example with us Thankyou. UN · 主持人 [10:14]: Thankyouverymuch. Jean - p ierre in his mental many leadership roles Think also led a number of political missions for the un some of the most demanding missions So we would now like to hear from under secret ary general rose mary de car lo from the department of political and peace building affairs Rosemary,please. DPPA · 主管政治和建设和平事务副秘书长 [10:38]: Hastings Family, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, and Dear Colleagues. Today we honor a pe ac emaker and a mediator of rare intuition and unparalleled capacity to bring people together His were not dreams of a better future emerging out of thin air Think was a firm believer that reaching common ground was possible even in the most difficult of circumstances and that sustaining it required long term vision Patient confidence building, and never stopping to rolling up one's sleeves, moving forward one step at a time, with an end goal in mind, and pathway to get there. As jump here has noted fin n came to the un family having built a distinguished career in south africa on the wider african continent and beyond During his useful activism youthful activism as part of the struggle for justice in his home country at a time when political change was hard to imagine And the most fundamental human rights were only an aspiration for many The combination of thinks ability as an organizer and strategist And his legal and political ac umen were instrumental in giving shape to a political transition and reconciliation that the world admired To the United Nations these same skills would prove invaluable Think strongly believed in the importance of listening patiently and emphatically in order to promote understanding. This gave him an u- unique capacity to win people's trust in an instant. Help project their aspirations into something achievable, and assist them in realizing them. He joined the un in 2005 to lead the organization's efforts to support iraq's constitutional process. In deeply challenging circumstances, he tried to empower iraqis to draft a legal and political framework that could serve a new social contract. In doing so, he invited collea- parties and colleagues alike to immerse themselves in an exercise of imagination about peace and justice. And on the premise, on these premises, lay the foundations of a better future. This is the approach that think brought to the task in all the subsequent un missions. He served from afghanistan to sudan to somalia and to south sudan. I first met fink when he was head of the political unit and the secretary general's office, and i was at the us mission to the un. When there were heated procedural or other disagreements. In the security council and the general assembly, we novice dprs knew whom to call for help. It was fink, always fink. Later when i joined the un secret ariat think was preparing to head our mission in som alia We could not have asked for a more skilled and princip led individual than think to lead such a complicated and dangerous mission AfterSomalia,FinkworkedonSudan. This was in the aftermath of the fall of amar al bashir. Sudan was very close to fink's heart. He cared deeply about the country, and was committed to ensuring that the aspirations of the sudanese people he had worked with for so many years would finally be met. Vince was instrumental in helping us to set up our mission in cartoon, and helped us tremendously along the way, as we worked with the sudanese people to chart a more promising future. For the country. Those of us who had the privilege of working alongside him deeply admired his unwavering dedication to service. His natural leadership inspired and empowered everyone. Whose path he crossed, he was a mentor to many of his colleagues, he became a hero to all of them. I cannot conclude without mentioning delphine, a dear colleague and a friend, who shared his enthusiasm and desire to make a difference. My condolences, sincere condolences to all of you in the family. Thank you. UN · 主持人 [15:14]: Thank you, rosemary. Whether leading political missions or peacekeeping missions, the one constant was having to report back to the security council. So it is only apt that we hear from the presidency of the security council this month and represented by their deputy permanent representative, jay dharma dikari. 杰克。 副常驻代表 [15:41]: Excellencies,theircolleagues,theirfamily. I would like today, as a presidency of the Security Council, to say a few words to pay tribute to Nicholas Fink Haysom. Remarkable activist lawyer, diplomat peacemaker throughout his life. First is native south africa, and then within united states, we've heard it. You know as a student and young activist he took part in the struggle to put an end to the south african apartheid regime At considerable considerable personal risk Later in his life. As one of nelson mandela's main legal advisors, he helped shape. The modern south african institutions. and was a tire less voice for human rights The last twenty years of his life were largely devoted to pe ac em aking He worked on several crises in succession. 比不问你，说他要啊，看那看那，我们就是。 In 2021, the Secretary-General appointed him Special Representative to South Sudan and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, a position he held until his death very recently in March this year. A lot of us have had the pleasure and honor to work with him in his capacity and they can attest we can attest to this dedication until the very end On behalf of the Security Council I want to command the life dedicated to trying to solve crisis through diplomacy comb ining deep legal expertise and a pragmatic drive in the pursuit of peace 尼克拉斯·芬克（H ass an）ex empl ified many of the values at the core of the United Nations and he deserves our gratitude and our respect On behalf of the security council, i want also to express our deep condolences to the family, to the friends, and to the colleagues of nicholas. Think he's. 谢谢。 UN · 主持人 [18:02]: Thank you very much. Jay will now take a pause from the remarks we'll be hearing. Rebecca simone and julian three of things children have specifically asked for one song to be played today and that is a symbol nanga by johnny clegg, which was an anthem of the struggle against apartheid in south africa. And as you can imagine this song, more importantly, the fight against apartheid are so closely linked to the haysom family. So i asked you to take a look at the screen. Infrontof,behindme. What we will stay in south africa. And now, now would like to give the floor to ambassador in kosi, the permanent representative of south africa, please sir, you have the floor. South Africa · 常驻代表 [18:53]: Thankyouverymuch,programdirector. 你们的。 L adies and gentlemen 的黑手们，反正你。 同事、朋友。 On behalf of the government and people of South Africa. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the United Nations In particular. The undersecretaries general. Mr. Jean pierre lacroix and miss rosemary dicarlo. Who worked closely with mr. Hassel. a dedicated south african patriot who served with distinction For organizing this event in the honor of the memory of F ink H ays om Mr. H ays om a distinguished South African lawyer and anti - ap ar theid activist whose work focused on democratic governance, constitutional reforms. 和解与和平。 Work ed closely with former President Nelson Mandela as his adviser and contributed to the drafting of the South African Constitution. Due to his dedication to peace he made a significant contribution To peace processes in Bur undi and mediated in the Sudanese peace process from 2002 to 2005. He joined the United Nations in 2005 and continued his contribution. To constitutional reform in Iraq, where he assisted with the drafting of the constitution. He demonstrated a strong sense of justice Adv oc ating for justice even at the risk of arrest 和驱逐在一些国家。 他的最后一项任务是在南苏丹，他在这方面投入了大量精力。 and in the implementation of the peace agreement of 2018. In his position as a special representative of the secretary general He l obb ied the south african government to leverage its good relations with the leadership Of the south sud an to med iate and build confidence particularly between president sal va ki ir and vice president r ick m asha Mr. H ays om was a very passionate person About his work he had a strong sense of justice Having worked closely with former President Nelson Mandela, he espoused the values of justice and respect for human dignity deeply. we hope that his memory will be kept alive as he has served humanity with distinction ithankyou. UN · 主持人 [22:13]: Thank you very much ambassador We will now hear the first of a number of reflections from staff members So i would like to invite k ila j anda to come up please UN · 工作人员 [22:45]: family. Ex cell encies present the leadership of the Secret ariat D istinguished colleagues ladies and gentlemen good morning To the family I want to say that I feel very very fortunate to be here to speak about a man that truly mattered many colleagues would have loved to have had this opportunity to stand here and share the depth of their appreciation for him. Since his passing slightly over six months ago. I've had conversations with colleagues friends. Who have been quite apt at describing just how special he was. And i couldn't agree with them anymore. The first thought I had when Francois Gr ignon told me about his passing was Howdoesababydie？ how does the ecosystem survive？ family, i know you've heard a lot of anecdotes, you've heard many profound stories of his impact. col le agues spoke to me about his empathy someone in particular said think was a human being inmymind。 there are people and there are human beings and while he took his political work very very seriously He understood that people just needed to be seen He didn't see societal divides. He saw the circumstances of human beings very much embody ing the spirit of the charter thatweholdsodear. With his leadership, mentorship was an absolutely important aspect. Another close friend said to me, "Fink literally taught him everything about leadership. " he always told him you have to do what you believe is morally right and then apologize later for the bureaucratic mish aps He never ever scape go ated anyone he was always the boss he was always in charge And he took every decision full on even to his own detriment Though he may not be in this physical space with us I just want to assure you Family that in this room in this physical room in the virtual room amongst colleagues who could not attend any of the memor ials There are people who regard themselves think stars To the young people in the organization particularly at a time when there are so many geopolitical shifts There have been leaders that have shown such profound magn anim ity and F ink was certainly one of them And for the entirety of my own career and all the other thing sters We shall keep his memory alive Tothefamily,wethankyou. We thank you for the sacrifices because without F ink Many of us would not have the bravery to try and change the world hemadeitsimple。 hemadeitreachable。 andwhileherests。 We'll continue. Thank you. UN · 主持人 [26:59]: Thank you so much. Kill it for those wonderful words. As we've mentioned, thinks last assignment was in south sudan where he led the un's peacekeeping mission there. So i'd now like to invite the permanent representative of south sudan to the united nations ambassador, cilia adding to deliver remarks. 用。 South Sudan · 常驻代表 [27:37]: YourExcellencies. This is the first time I'm going to stand somewhere to remember. UM, HIS EXCELLENCY NICHOLAS HEISEN. In my words, I always called him uncle because he would tell me, "Don't call me your excellency. "don't mention me as anything, just call me high sum. i said in my tradition that is not allowed, so i'll call you uncle. so we agreed on the terms, uncle. hewas. and activist a lawyer a constitutional ist diplomat mediator name all of it And for South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom was not simply a senior UN official. of the United Nations He was part of our story Long before the republic of south sudan existed, nicholas had already committed himself to the difficult work of helping our people find a peaceful path towards determining their own future. But to understand what brought him to South Sudan, we must first remember where his own journey began. And that experience is the experience of seeing a deeply divided community negotiate its way towards a difficult future that would shape much of the rest of his life For us in south sudan, one chapter of nicholas deserve a particular recognition. From 2002 to 2005. He served as the principal adviser to the mediator. of the Sudan peace process working alongside E GA DE led by General Lazar us S emb io Those negotiation confronted questions that had resisted resolution for decades. The relationship between religion and the state, the structure of governance, the distribution of power and the resources. Security arrangements, and fundamentally, the political future of southern sudan. Nicholas brought those negotiation not brought to those negotiation, not only legal expertise, but also experience of South Africa's own constitutional transition. Drink the negotiation at machacos in 2002. He worked closely with general samboyo and the mediation team to move the parties beyond simply repeating their own established positions. the result was the historical machacos protocol that was signed 20th of july 2002. Among it most consequentially provision was the recognition of the right of the people of southern sudan to determine their own future through referendum following six years after the interim period. that principle changed the course of our history but mach acos was only the beginning Nicholas remained throughout the process as the parties. The mediator and the regional international partners worked towards the eventually becoming the comprehensive peace agreement that was signed on the 9th of july, 2005. Six years later, southern sudan went to the ballot box and exercise their right and had that had been secured through that painting. processes. They chose independence, and on July 9th, our flag was raised. For that reason, when we remember Nicholas, South Sudan must remember him not only as the man who later led UNMISS, but one who helped accompany our people alongside the diplomatic road. Towards self-determination, he knew our journey before we became a country. He understood how difficult that journey had been, and he understood enormous sacrifices upon which our independence was built. Years later, when Nicholas returned to our country through the United Nations. After serving. The cause of peace in some of the world's most difficult political environment. He was appointed in 2021 as the representative of the secretary general in south sudan. and the head of UN mission There was something deeply significant about this return The man had participated in negotiation that helped establish the pathway towards Southern Sudan self-determination. was now being asked to help the world's youngest nation navigate another difficult chapter of its history. Nicholas understood that peace was not an event, it was not simply signing of an agreement. It's continuation process requiring patience, institutions, compromises, political courage, and above all determination of the country's own people. tolivetogether. he firmly believed in us and challenged us sorry。 we didn't always agree, but he asked us to stop up for our people. and for me personally I had the privilege of knowing him simply, not simply as a special representative, but as someone who console and encourage me to become important, to become an important part to my country and representing south sudan. No matter how demanding representing responsibilities became, Nicholas found time to meet me. There were moments when I needed to discuss difficult developments concerning my country. There were moments when political environment surrounding south sudan seemed particularly heavy, and there were moments where carrying the responsibility of representing one country. Required strength that could not always be seen. Nich olas listened he advised and sometimes he challenged me And often he encouraged me He reminded me that on his own way to remain strong and to keep the light of south sud an shining regardless of the cloud that gathered among us he never forgot that and i will never forget that But because of those words came from someone who knew South Sudan And came from someone that had so much potential and has been in our negotiation and had witnessed the disagreement that seemingly seemed impossible to overcome. when he encouraged me not to allow the clouds of representing ourcountry. Take away from the light of South Sudan I knew those words came from experience He knew that difficult political moments do not define the entire history of a nation and he knew that responsibility of those entrusted to lead the leadership and diplomacy is to continue carrying hope even when circumstances make hope difficult there is something extraordinary about his life he fought for justice in his own country he helped build democratic south africa and always found people in conflict to search for a common ground As international servant, civil servant, he carried those lessons to some of the rooms that he entered. And his life in south sudan, a journey that came into full circle. Has helped negotiated the framework that opened the road towards our own self-determination. and has found a way to make sure that our people found themselves in the same room even when it was difficult He saw southern sud an become south sud an He saw the people once negotiated for the right to determine their own future take their place among the international community And he continued to believe our story could still become one of peace stability and prosperity 所以今天。 I simply say that south sudan has lost a special representative that i simply say that south sudan has not only lost this secretary general representative, it has lost the witness to our history. It has lost a participant in our journey. And as laws of friend of peace, i have personally lost someone who consold console ship friendship and encouragement will carry me for many years to come. Rest in peace, Uncle Frank, and we'll see you again. Thank you. UN · 主持人 [36:14]: Thank you so much ambassadors for those reflections. We will now switch gears a little bit as many of you know, think loved poetry and when he worked on the 38th floor as the political director for then secretary general ban ki-moon, he and his team published a political update every year. But alongside that update, his team also sent what they called a poetical. Update a collection of poems and in preparation for today's memorials thinks friends picked poetry. He thought he would have liked and delphine turned it into a booklet which i think you all have in front of you and they're more copies available if you don't if you don't have it. Well now here one of those poems that's included in the poetical update. It's called ceasefire by michael longley and i will ask thinks. A friend and longtime colleague Michael Ke ating to come up and read it for us 朋友、长期同事 [37:22]: Thank you. Well, let me begin by thanking. Dalphin for this honor and extending my deeper sympathy to the family. This this poem was written 30 years ago by michael longley. An ir ish man at a time when there were rumors of a ceasefire in northern ire land and he drew upon his knowledge of the ili ad and it depicts the scene when old king pri am Goes to beg at least who was a godlike and fierce figure for the body of his own son, king prime's son. Um, and it's about the power and pain. ofreconciliation。 put in mind of his own father And moved to tears Achilles took him by the hand And pushed the old king gently away But Pri am curled up at his feet andweptwithhim. untiltheirsadness. Filledthebuilding. Taking Hector's corpse into his own hands, Achilles made sure it was washed. and for the old king's sake. L aid out in uniform ready for prime to carry Wrapped like a present home to Troy at day break When they had eaten together, it pleased them both to stare at each other's beauty. asloversmight. 阿基里斯，像神一样强壮。 prime good - looking still and full of conversation who had earlier sided I get down on my knees and do what must be done, and kiss achilles' hand, the killer. Of my son. UN · 主持人 [39:56]: Thank you so much, michael. I would now would like to ask sean kane to come up. Sean work closely with think in a number of duty stations and he'll share some reflections sean, please. UN · 同事 [40:19]: members of the hast ings family col le agues and as F ink himself likes to greet us team It was exceedingly difficult to know how to start in capturing such a remarkable life, or indeed how exactly to give voice to the hundreds of special relationships. Think built during his two decades in the united nations, and with so many people here today. Upon learning of his passing, I took some solace in the tributes that flowed in from around the world. 他们也成为了灵感的来源。 I hope you will recognize some of your own sentiments in what I have to say And despite the gravity of this occasion, that you allow me to borrow from Fink's humor and love of life. First impressions of think were filled by his intellect and easy charisma. His interests were varied, poetry, rugby, opera, and of course a nice bottle of white wine. he would casually mention that he had once been named south african playwright of the year. And as we have moving ly heard he rose first to public awareness as an anti - ap ar theid student leader And he continued in the struggle through the labor movement and by representing political prisoners families of victims. And communities resisting force removal from their land. He ultimately helped to prepare south africa's democratic constitution and served as legal advisor to president nelson mandela. of course, we have also heard that this commitment to equality came at a personal cost. He was by his own count detained without trial a half dozen times and placed under house arrest for two years He shared that he was subject to sleep deprivation during interrogations and held in solitary confinement on three occasions. And somehow Finn could find humor even in this experience He once told me that his interrogators tried to get him to reveal his political role models. Fink cited Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy. Eager to make more arrests, Fink said the interrogator immediately followed up, "And where can we find this King and Kennedy? "Incredibly, Fink had amassed a lifetime's worth of struggle and contribution before many of us even met him. His second international chapter only added to this legacy Fink wrote one of the first practical guides to negotiating ceasefires. He spread the idea of a constitution as a peace treaty for a divided society He chaired the multi-party process of nominating south africa's truth and reconciliation commissioners becoming an early expert in the field that we now call transitional justice. Fink first applied his experiences from South Africa to help broker landmark peace agreements in Burundi and in Sudan and South Sudan. and then he came to us at the un. within a few short years, finn could be found seemingly everywhere. From the Secretary-General's office on the 38th floor to holding court in the delegates' lounge. an indispensable presence in the field from bag hd ad to add is ab aba j uba kab ul kh art ou m and mog ad ish u What made Fink's advice so valued at all these places was evident: he brought a mastery of the craft of peacemaking, but he also spoke with the clarity of lived experience. A common thread across Frank's career is that he did not believe in knowledge for its own sake. twelve years ago in kabul, fink asked me to read the eulogy he was about to deliver for a colleague who had been senselessly killed by the taliban. One line he wrote has stayed with me and it seems fitting to repeat it today Think said, quote, mere knowledge on its own is not a valuable asset, unless it is willingly shared, professionally applied, and is placed in the service of meeting the challenges faced by society. Fink was praising our friend Vadim Nazarov, who had been open-handed with his understanding of Afghanistan and its people, history and culture. But F ink was also telling us something about himself with that line and what he believed to be important And indeed he shared from his own vast store of knowledge almost without limit mentoring scores of activists constitutional ists and medi ators from dozens of countries So many of us in this room. Benefited from his counsel and support. Think it's certainly why i work in the field of mediation and i saw the same appreciation expressed in tribute after tribute. from his South African student comrades in the 1970s, all the way through to his UN colleagues in South Sudan a half century later. Fink was defined, though, not just by his intellect, but also by his humility and humanity. He had a complete lack of arrogance or pretension, and as one colleague said, it is hard to think of an occasion where Fink raised his voice in anger. Another observed that even amidst deep conflict. Think was the only person who had no enemies. And within our missions in the un missions where he served think treated, everyone is an equal, no matter their level. He had time for anyone and everyone and despite the weight of the issues he faced part of his humanity was simply knowing how to have fun. hewould. howshouldiputit？ take full advantage of social occasions He joked about financing his retirement by writing romance novels. And much to Delphine's horror, he would attempt, attempt a routine of hand springs and back flips at the Secretary General's holiday parties. One evening, we were trying to figure out if i knew someone fink was scheduled to meet. I didn't think i did and for some reason asked how old the person was. Barely pausing to think fink said, you know, he's our age. I gave Fink a look and gestured, "Fink, is he your age or is he my age? " His only reply was the classic big Fink grin. Fink knew, of course, that we were not the same age in his mind's eye, though I think he still saw himself as the young activist confronting injustice. And i believe that at some level, everyone who entered finch's orbit intuited this as well, which accounts for the energy and sense of open possibility we all got from working with him. towering intellect, humanity, and a persevering shape by his experiences in south africa's struggle. it is hard to imagine that we will see his like again. All the more necessary now then to cherish his memory today Our hearts go out to Delphine and the Hastings family. thank you so much for sharing so much of this remarkable person with all of us we know it cannot always have been easy Fink,wemissyou. UN · 主持人 [47:32]: Thank you very much, sean. Thank you very much. Given thinks personal and professional life intertwined so much with the struggles in africa. It's only app that we hear from the representative of the african union. If i could ask ambassador idris, the permanent observer of the african union to the un to come up. Thank you. AU · Africa Group · 常驻观察员 [48:05]: thankyouverymuch. goodmorning,dearfriends. Excellencies,dearcolleagues！ The African group asked me to carry one message into this chamber anditisgratitude. for more than three decades nich olas hay son served the united nations in some of its hardest assignments And Africa claims him with pride as one of our own His formation was African He learned the law as an instrument of freedom in South Africa of the struggle paid for it with detention And went on to serve presenters for mandela as chief legal advisor through the founding years of democracy. Of course, my brother from south africa spoke was more authority. About the contributions of late, the cross i assume in this regard. I will say only that the whole continent watched those years closely and borrowed from them the group the African group wishes to place on record the reach of his service to Africa through this organization The br onte piece talks the years as special envoy for sud an and south sud an som alia And finally five years at the head of the united nations mission in south sud an Where he remained in post to his last days He also carried the continent's constitutional experience outwards to the constitutional files of iraq and afghanistan, and reminding this organization that peacemaking wisdom travels from africa. As well as to africa. He practiced a particular craft and it deserved naming in his house in this house Let the class high school treated constit utions as peace agreements that continue by other means And he valued the process that produces a text above the elegance of the text itself Because the constitution people have helped to write is one they will defend In the sud ans he worked beside the african union high level implementation panel and he treated the african union and the united nations as two hands of one effort Every african peacemaker who found the door of his office open, and it was always open, knows that partnership this partnership looked like in practice. The chair person of the african union commission called him a trusted partner and a dear friend The secretary general named him a tire less pe ac emaker both are right Those who served with him as we heard from many colleagues In j uba speak of a leader for whom human rights were daily practice and of a mentor who gave younger colleagues many of them afr icans His time without ceremony he carried heavy files lightly Those of us who sat across a table from him will remember something pl ainer still He listened before he spoke and he never confused firm ness with volume He departed this world in post in march of this year and there is a right ness in the membership gathering now in the week Thewhole. 世界来到这栋大楼。 tosayhisname. 这个律师。 Tribute within our search, is the one, is within our reach, is the one he would have asked it of us, patience with south sudan's peace. And the practice, and the persistence in it, to his family. To the people of the government of South Africa. The people and government of south africa to his colleagues across the united nations. And all who knew him and dealt with him and benefited from him and to the people of south sudan. Whom he served until the end, the african group offers its deepest condolences. May his memory strengthen everybody. In this whole who still does the quiet work of peace and many he continues to rest and may he continues to rest in peace Ithankyou. Speaker 21 [53:08]: Thankyou. UN · 主持人 [53:08]: Thankyou. Amb assadors before we hear from the un choir we have one more poetry reading in the poem is called The child is not dead by ing rid J ank ers thinks two sisters che et ah and lou hass am have asked for this poem to be read today It will be read by von w iles who was at school with f ink It became a lifelong friend and his brother-in-law. I'm told so. If I could ask Von, please to come up. Thank you. 朋友、姻亲 [53:51]: Good morning colleagues and friends and family of F ink I know that this was one of finch's favorite poems. I suspect he might be listening, so i will try to do it justice. The child is not dead by In grid Jon ker The child raises his fists against his mother, who screams, "Africa! Screams the smell of freedom and heather in the location of the heart under siege. " The child raises his fists against his father in the march of the generations who scream Africa scream the smell of justice and blood in the streets of armed pride The child is not dead neither at L anga nor at N j anga nor at Orlando nor at Sharp ville nor at the police station in Phil ippi where he lies with a bullet in his head The child is the shadow of the soldiers on guard with guns sar ac ens and batt ens The child is present at all meetings and legisl ations The child pe eps through the windows of houses into the hearts of mothers The child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyang’ga is everywhere. The child who became a man tre ks through all of africa The child who became a giant travels through the whole world Thankyou。 UN · 主持人 [55:42]: Thank you very much, Avon. I'd like to ask the UN choir to make their way up here, please. We're delighted and grateful to have the un choir with us today. They will perform a song called my soul is a river. It was a piece written by composer ben holloway in 2004 to all to honor martin luther king for what it would have been his 75th birthday. The song draws on dr. King's favorite passage of scripture quote, let justice roll down like waters. And righteousness like the mighty stream which is et ched in the civil rights monument in al abama and mont gomery The words of this song are very apt today as we remember f ink and i will leave you with the choir UN · 合唱团 [58:12]: My soul is a river, my soul is a river, my soul is a river winding through a weary land. R down, righteousness like a mighty stream. she her thirsty thirsty my soul is a river. Your soul is a river. Join us down the river. Fill the mighty ocean with peace. My soul is a river. Your soul is a river. Join us down the river. Fill the mighty ocean with peace. Speaker 26 [1:01:51]: 谢谢。 UN · 主持人 [1:02:04]: Thank you so much to our colleagues from the UN Choir We come to this to the end of this memorial So dear f ink sters having listened to all the speakers i think it is clear that f ink was a cherished colleague An inspiration a friend and an uncle to so many of us And as we go on let us keep the seeds of his humanity his compassion his moral courage Insideallofus. As we continue to work every day in the un, may his memory be a blessing, and before we go, if you're able, i would like you to please rise for a moment of silence. Thank you very much and I wish you all a good day Thankyou.