26 August 1996 NGO/272
SUDDEN DEATH OF WFUNA SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLED `BITTER TRAGEDY', LOSS COMES ON EVE OF FEDERATION FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY CONGRESS 19960826(Reproduced as received from WFUNA.) LUXEMBOURG, 25 August -- The sudden death of Erskine Childers, Secretary-General of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), at the Federation's Fiftieth Anniversary Congress in Luxembourg on Sunday, 25 August, came as a bitter shock to his family, all the delegations and his other friends, many of whom were present at the Congress. At a special session of the Congress to honour his memory, tributes were paid by the President of WFUNA, Hashim Abdul Halim, by United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Samir Sanbar, by the President of the United Nations Association of Luxembourg, Claude Levy-Raus, and by the Chairperson of WFUNA, Malcolm Harper. Erskine Childers came from a highly respected family of Irish campaigners for freedom and liberty. His grandfather was executed at the time of the struggle for independence. His father was President of Ireland. After a distinguished academic career, he entered into service with the United Nations where, as a result of his dedication and devotion, he rose to senior positions in the Organization. After his retirement, he continued to strive relentlessly for the ideals for which he had worked so hard. He wrote widely on United Nations issues, one of his best known publications being A World in Need of Leadership, which he co-authored with that equally devoted international civil servant, Sir Brian Urquhart. While writing on United Nations matters, he also travelled widely, lecturing on the Organization and the many challenges confronting it. In the five months of his service as Secretary-General of WFUNA, he really threw himself into preparing for the Fiftieth Anniversary Congress. He died as he lived -- in the service of the United Nations. His sudden death is a bitter tragedy for WFUNA which had planned a major programme of activities in which he was destined to play a key leadership role. * *** *
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