International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism

Welcome to the ninth commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance and tribute to the victims of terrorism.
It's my distinct pleasure to invite you to this high level segment of the event in which we will hear interventions by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Acting Under Secretary-General for Counterterrorism, the group of friends of victims of terrorism, the victims of terrorism themselves, and victims' advocates from around the world.
This year, we gather under the theme of healing through memory, reminding us that remembrance is not only about honoring those whom we have lost, but also about preserving their stories, upholding their dignity, and supporting healing, resilience, and recovery.
The ninth review of the global counterterrorism strategy has also reaffirmed our longstanding commitment to victims of terrorism and their rights and needs.
This commitment was reflected during the recent United Nations Counterterrorism Week, including those of high level side events, including those which included 75 participants to exchange experiences by the member states through the initiative for support of terrorism.
Our task is now to continue translating these commitments into meaningful support on the ground.
In the spirit In this spirit, Iraq is working closely with UN OCT and international partners in preparation for the conference calling for enhanced support for victims of terrorism to be conveyed in Baghdad later this year.
We hope the conference will provide a practical platform to share experiences and strengthen support for victims and their families.
So without any further ado, I will give the floor to His Excey, Mr.
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Today, we pay tribute to the victims and survivors of terrorism.
We honor their courage, amplify their voices, and reaffirm our commitment to their dignity and rights.
This year's theme, healing through Memory reminds us that remembrance is a pathway to recovery and renewal.
But how we remember matters.
Victims stories must never be exploited or used to sow more hate, including on digital platforms.
When we commemorate responsibly, we protect victims from further trauma and counter the harmful narratives terrorism seeks to spread.
Instead of letting terror divide us, we can and must stay united.
Today and every day, let us stand in solidarity with victims and survivors and build a future free from violence and fear.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Secretary-General, for your statement.
It's now my honor to turn to the acting Under Secretary-General for counterterrorism, His Excesy, Mr.
Alexander Zyov.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, it is a profound honor to join you today to commemorate the International Day of remembrance of and tribute to the victims of terrorism.
This year's theme, Healing Through Memory highlights the vital role that remembrance plays in recovery and resilience.
By honoring those whose lives have been lost and recognizing the experiences of victims and survivors, we reaffirm their dignity and help foster healing for individuals, families, and communities affected by terrorism.
Collective acts of commemoration hold immense power.
When societies come together in solidarity, they acknowledge sufferings that must never be forgotten, preserve the truth of what occurred, and counter denial and distortion.
In doing so, they not only pay tribute to those affected, but also strengthen the foundations of more resilient and inclusive societies.
Yet remembrance must be undertaking with care.
It must be victim centered, rights based, gender responsive, and trauma informed.
This is especially true in today's digital environment.
While online platforms have created new opportunities to amplify victims' voices and foster solidarity, often increased visibility exposes victims and survivors to abuse, harassment, and harmful media coverage.
Addressing these challenges, it is important priority for the United Nations of counterterrorism.
Through our work with victims associations, we are committed to promoting approaches that place their rights, dignity, and perspectives at the center of national and international efforts.
Ladies and gentlemen, today we will hear from victims and survivors representing different regions of the world.
Their voices remind us that behind every act of terrorism are lives forever changed.
This commemoration also marks an important milestone, the launch of the first victim led publication developed by the Victims of Terrorism Association Network known as Wan, entitled Building a Safer Internet for Victims of Terrorism.
Drawing directly on the lived experiences of victims and survivors, it offers recommendations for governments, technology companies, and civil society to help create digital spaces that protect rather than re traumatize those affected by terrorism.
We congratulate Gatt on this significant achievement and express our gratitude to the Kingdom of Spain for supporting Kono CT to establish the network and to the German Federal Foreign Office, whose continued partnership is helping to sustain and strengthen it through 2026.
Distinguished colleagues this international day serve not only as a solemn tribute to those affected by terrorism, but also a renewed commitment to uphold the rights of victims and survivors, support their recovery, and ensure that their voices continue to shape our collective response to terrorism.
To all victims and survivors of terrorism, thank you for your courage, your leadership, and your trust.
The United Nations stands with you.
Thank you.
Let me thank you very much for your intervention and for the important leadership you have shown on this issue.
And now it's time to come to hear from the victims and survivors themselves who will address this important event.
On this International Day of remembrance, it's hard to believe that 911 happened a quarter of a century ago.
That morning, as a fire chief, I took command inside the World Trade Center and ordered firefighters to go up to save 20,000 people.
Suddenly, the 110 story towers began to collapse.
That beautiful morning full of sunshine when completely dark.
I could not see the hand in front of my face as crumbled concrete and twisted steel crashed all around us.
In that moment, I wondered if I was still alive.
On 911, we witnessed the death of nearly 3,000 people from over 100 countries, including hundreds of my firefighters, one of whom was my brother.
Scars from that day and from other acts of terrorism remain with us.
But as we share our stories, these memories carry us on a journey of resilience.
Gather with others to reflect on the past and envision the future with hope is essential for our healing.
If you want to change the world, you do it through storytelling.
For us victims and survivors of terrorism, sharing our pain turns it into purpose, inspiring international hope needed to bring about real change to prevent terrorism.
Every year on 911, we say, never forget.
But on the 25th anniversary, we must ask ourselves, does that promise still hold? Those words must do more than recall the images of planes hitting high rise buildings and towers collapsing.
Beyond horror, it is important to remember those who showed empathy by risking their lives to rescue those during dangerous times, saving over 17,000 people.
We must remember how people from around the world came together to help New York City.
In a moment of devastation, global unity was not just an ideal.
It was a reality we felt in our hearts and in actions.
But what does 911 mean today for a generation of young people who were too young to remember or not yet born? To them, 911 lives in history books and documentaries.
We have a responsibility to teach them the lessons we've learned that our heroes on 911 and in the days that followed, including family members, were not superheroes.
They were people who did ordinary things at an extraordinary time through simple acts of courage and kindness.
Such ordinary heroes are in each of us.
Our memories sow seeds of resilience, unity, compassion, and hope with the enduring message that together we can make a global difference.
Good morning, everyone.
My name is Zena, and I'm truly honored to be here today.
This day, the International Day of Remembrance and Tutte to the victims of terrorism means so much to me personally.
It's not just another date on the calendar.
It's a day that reminds me of who I lost, who I am and who I am still becoming.
I remember the day my life changed forever.
I lost people.
I love it, people who were my strength, my support, and the reason to smile.
When touristy took them, it did not just take their lives, it took my sense of safety, my trust, and my peace for a long time.
I felt like the world had moved on while I was still stuck on that moment.
But the days like today remind me that I am not forgetting the world sees the world remembers with us and that means everything to me.
Remembrance, I don't see it as staying in the past or holding in the pain.
I see it as a way to reclaim our dignity when we remember our loved ones honestly and respectfully.
We tell the world that they were more than victims.
They were people with names, faiths, and dreams.
Remembrance brings us together.
It builds solidarity among survivors.
It helps communities heal and stay united.
For me, remembering with purpose has given me strength to keep going, not to look back in sadness but to move forward with hope.
But we must also be honest about the challenge.
Remembrance can sometimes reopen old wounds when victims are asked to tell their painful stories over and over again for cameras or news, it can cause traumatization, especially when there is no proper support afterwards.
I know this feeling myself sometimes speaking about what happened brings back the fear and pain all over again.
But also now that staying silent can hurt just as much.
So we need to find the right balance, a way to share our truth without being rewinded We also see victims stories and images being misusage.
Sometimes they are used for politics, for money, or to spread the hate.
Our pain becomes content and we become samples, we never escape pain.
That's not okay.
Our stories blocked us, no one should take them and use them without our permission.
And today's digital world memories is fragile with fake videos and misinformation.
The truth can easily be lost or change.
We must ask ourselves, how do we protect real stories and keep them safe online? I ask all of us to remember this, let victims and survivors guide how we honor their memories.
Let us create a safe space where stories are shared with care, not taken without permission.
Let us use technology to protect the truth, not to destroy it.
Healing is possible, but only when we accepted the whole truth.
Good and the had part together.
To my fellow survivors, your voice is powerful and it matters.
To the world, please listen and act with compassion.
This day is for us.
Let us make it count.
Thank you so much.
My name is Rachel and I will always be the mother of Hirsch Goldberg Poland.
Hirsch will always be my only son.
Hirsch will always be my eldest child, and Hirsch will always be 23-years-old.
Tragically, I am not unique.
There are millions of parents around the world who have horrifically had to bury their children, maybe you.
Hirsch was kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival in Israel on October 7th, 2023.
It had been advertised as being for love, unity, and peace.
Hirsch was held alive as a hostage for 328 days, with one of his arms having been blown off during his abduction.
He was starved, burned, and tortured, and then my son was executed at close range and returned to me after 330 days with six bullet holes in his skeletal and filthy body.
That body that I had carried in my body for nine months many moons ago, that body and soul that I adored and beheld.
As we gather for this International Day of remembrance and tribute to the victims of terror, my thoughts float to 1932, the year when the League of Nations invited the luminary Albert Einstein to engage in correspondence with a thought partner of his choosing to examine any topic of global concern.
The result was war, the magnificent and crushing revelations between Einstein and Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis.
Although written 94 years ago, it could have been written this morning or 94 minutes ago.
Freud explains that we humans continue to engage in active conflict, even though the vast majority of us suffer terribly from this way of existence that is seemingly as old as time because we people have two basic instincts that are inextricably woven into our DNA.
One is the drive to love, and the other is the drive toward destruction.
Civilization has to decide whether to rise to the challenge to continually contain our natural tendencies toward war or to give that slavery of selfish interests to give in it, even though it doesn't serve the masses, and it only serves the powerful few.
But what sheep we are even though it doesn't serve us The most dramatic mistake that we make is when we think that one side is doing this to another, that there is a paradigm of team A versus team B.
No, what Freud inherently is saying is there are people on both sides of any conflict whose drive toward destruction of the other is exactly the same, and therefore, ironically, those destructive entities on opposing sides, in fact, have more in common with each other than the very people they claim to represent.
However, this also means there are people on both sides of any conflict who have in common the instinct to want to live in the absence of war, suffering, and in the absence of pain.
Their motivations are hope and life and love.
This turns the adversarial paradigm on its head to conclude a blessing and a warning.
May we use our wisdom, strength, and light to do what is right? The choice is hard, but the choice is ours.
We are the most creative, talented, intelligent, aggressive, dangerous, and violent creatures on this entire planet.
It is a potent cocktail of traits.
Beware.
Shall we take the easy way out and follow blindly even as we march ourselves right over a cliff, or shall we push ourselves to live up to the most elevated challenges and goals that are presented.
May we have the courage and discernment to choose well.
God speed to us all.
Hello, everyone.
My name is Jasmin Buzii.
I'm 22.
I lost my father in the 2011 Uganda Cafe bombing in Marrakes, Morocco.
For years, Karen's loss has meant navigating a profound personal journey of grief.
But it has also shown me why moments of remembers are so vital.
As we reflect on how acts of remembers construen solidarity, dignity, social cohesion and healing.
We must recognize that remembering our victims is not just about looking back at the sorrow.
It is about keeping the human dignity alive and standing together against terror.
When we turn and honor these memories, we build a collective of solidarity in Spain.
However, this path is not without its challenges.
In an increasingly digital world, we face real concerns regarding the traumatization and the risk of victims stories or images being misused or stripped of their true meaning.
Preserving memory in the digital age means protecting the truth of our loved one's life with respect and care, ensuring that our collective memory remains a path to healing rather than a source of pain.
Under the T Victims Voices healing to Memory, I want to emphasize that our stories matter by honoring our victims with dignity, with truth resilience, and we remind the world that our humanity cannot be taken away.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for your moving statements and for your generosity in sharing your stories.
Now please join me in observing 1 minute silence in honor of victims of terrorism around the world.
We will now turn to the co chair of the Group of Friends of victims of terrorism.
The DPR of Spain, miss Ana Zenz will deliver a statement on behalf of the group.
The floor is yours.
Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency, Antonio Guutarrez, Under Secretary-General for Counterterrorism, His Excellency Alexander Swet, Distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the group of friends of victims of terrorism on the ninth and International Day of remembrance and tribute to the victims of terrorism.
Today, we reiterate our firm commitment as a global community of nations to fight against the threat of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations while recognizing and supporting the voice of victims of terrorism and their families.
Today, we would like to amplify the voices of support and solidarity to the victims of terrorism and demonstrate that we are united, resilient, and to stand against terrorism.
The heinous and evalving threat of terrorism has proven to be one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century.
The nonstop violence and suffering has inflicted deep wounds around the world and affects all of us, underscoring the need for a cohesive and united front to counter this threat.
When talking about defeating terrorism, we rightly emphasize the important role of security and the need to combat terrorist groups and criminal associates on the ground.
Nevertheless, as this group of friends has worked on and advocated for, terrorism will only be defeated through action that incorporates the invaluable voice of victims and draws on the lessons learned from their painful experiences.
The theme of this year, healing through memory underlines the importance that memory and remembrance can play in the struggle against terrorism.
It also emphasizes its importance in the recovery of the victims.
This group of friends of victims of terrorism will continue to support victims, providing them with a platform through which their voices can be consistently heard and their concerns addressed.
In this context, we look forward to the second Conference of Victims of Terrorism that will take place in Baghdad, Iraq in the last quarter of 2026.
As a follow up of the first conference that took place in Victoria States, Spain in 2024, the conference will provide an inclusive platform bringing together relevant states from the region and key international partners, alongside victims and survivors of terrorism, United Nations entities, regional organizations, civil society, academia and practitioners, to exchange experiences and identify practical approaches to better support victims and their families.
This is the ninth year of an initiative that was established by member states coming together to raise awareness on the situation of victims of terrorism through a series of concrete objectives.
Although important goals have been achieved over these years, we hope that more member states will be able to join us in these efforts.
We need to work altogether to continue addressing the terrible phenomenon of terrorism through our individual counterterrorism strategies and the effective and comprehensive implementation of all the legal instruments approved in the framework of the United Nations.
I would like to finish by expressing once again on behalf of all the members of this group, our firm commitment and support to continue working both with and for the victims of terrorism until they receive the recognition and support that they deserve.
I thank you very much for your attention.
I would like now to close this high level segment of the event and to convey my gratitude and appreciation to all the participants in this event, for victims, member states, United Nations leadership, and everyone who have worked very hard to defend and uphold the right of victims of terrorism.
Thank you very much.
It's my absolute privilege today to moderate the panel discussion as part of our commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of and tribute to the victims of terrorism.
So today marks a truly historic milestone for us.
We are gathered to officially launch building a safer Internet for victims of terrorism, which is the very first victim product developed by the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network or Votan.
Votan has been going from strength to strength, demonstrating the incredible expertise, leadership, and lived experience of its members.
We are immensely proud that the network now connects over 120 victims and victims associations across 40 countries worldwide.
To explore this new guidance and discuss how we can foster a safer online space for victims of terrorism, I'm joined today by a really distinguished panel of experts and advocates.
So first, I'd like to welcome Odette Chesnut, who is founder of the Lebanes Association of Victims of Terrorism, an art therapist and clinical psychologist specializing in psychological trauma and a member of Votan.
I'd like to also warmly welcome Mesun Salma, manager and co founder of the Annea Childcare Center, who lost her son in the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks and is a member of Van.
I'd also like to welcome Noreen Chaudhry Fink, the Executive Director at the Global Internet Forum to Counterterrorism, and, of course, Emily Knowles, who leads the Global Victims of Terrorism Support Program's work on Tech for Victims of Terrorism here at UN OCT.
Thank you all so much for being here today.
So let's get straight to our first topic.
So it is on building a safer digital environment.
It's really critical for victims of terrorism, and this new guidance from Votan we hope, should be extremely welcome, especially for tech platforms as they try to navigate this space.
So, Adepte, I'd like to turn to you first.
The briefing covers many concrete examples of online harms suffered by victims of terrorism, drawn directly from the experiences of Votan members themselves.
Could you highlight a few of these examples to help our audience understand why this was such a priority topic for Votan and why building a safer Internet is so critical for victims worldwide? Thank you for this question.
The experience shared by VTA members shows that online harm can begin immediately after an attack and continue for many years.
One of the most devastating examples concerned parents who learned about the death of their child through a photograph or video posted online or through television coverage before being formally informed by the authorities.
Victims might also encounter image of the attack by surprise.
For example, a mother viewing a commemorative post about her child might suddenly see footage of the attack in which her child was killed.
Each exposure can deactivate the trauma.
In another case, a family learned through social media that the terrorist who had killed their child had been released without the authorities informing them beforehand.
They were suddenly confronted with videos showing his supporters celebrating his release.
The family experienced not only the shock of the news, but also the feeling of being regarded by the institution and the pain of seeing the release of their child's killer publicly celebrated.
Ban members have also reported the denial and distortion of victims' experiences.
Some users claim that attacks did not happen as reported, accused victims of lying, particularly around anniversaries.
This can undermine the recognition victims need in order to recover.
Another problem is the use of photographs and testimonies without meaningful consent.
A victim may agree to an interview for one event, only to discover later that it has been posted online, edited, translated, or reused in another context.
Victims may also receive insult or messages raising the attacker.
The personal information may be exposed, and even their children may be targeted.
Deep fakes create an additional risk by allowing the image or voice of a victim of someone who has died to be manipulated without consent.
These examples explain why a safer Internet is a priority for Votan.
We are not asking for history to be erased.
We are asking for victims to retain control over their image, testimony, and personal information.
Thank you, Adette.
So just as a quick follow up to that, and given your own expertise in this space, could you speak a little bit more about the psychological harm that can be done to victim recovery through this exposure to harmful online content? But reported exposure to content related to an attack can reactivate a trauma.
An image, video, sound, or comment may act as trigger they act as a trigger, causing victims to feel that they are relieving the event raiser than simply remembering it.
This can lead to an anxiety, intrusive memories, nightmares, and hypervigilance.
The impact is particularly severe when the exposure is unexpected.
A victim might suddenly encounter image of the attack or of someone they lost sometimes through an algorithm without any warning or preparation.
This loss of control can seriously disrupt recovery.
Commemorating commemoration itself is not necessarily traumatic.
It can support healing when it occur in a safe and respectful environment.
The problem arise when victims have no choice or control.
A trauma informed digital environment must therefore allow victims to decide what they see, how their story and image are used, and whether harmful content should be removed.
Thanks so much for those insights, Odette.
That's really helpful to be so practical and nuanced in that.
So I do want to turn now to Mason.
The briefing paper lays out five key components of a victim centric approach to building a safer Internet.
Could you walk us through some of the recommendations Van is making for tech platforms and reflect on how these relate to your own experiences.
Sure.
Thank you, Sia.
On March 15, 2019, the Christchurch mosque shootings completely reshapened how the world views online harm.
But for those of us living through the aftermath, the violence did not end when the physical attack stopped.
The reality for victims and survivors is that platforms often re inflect trauma long after the crisis fades.
We see it when recommendation algorithms randomly push graphic clips into our feeds as trending news.
We see it with the rise of deep fix built to fuel conspiracy theories or when grieving families get locked out of a deceased loved one's memorialized account.
Right now, the heavy lifting of digital cleanup falls almost entirely on the survivors.
People are forced to spend their own emotional energy hunting down graphic imagery of their own trauma, only to get stuck in cold, automated reporting queues.
That's why Vin's briefing paper demands a real mindset shift, moving past basic content removal and building a truly victim centered trauma informed framework right into platform design.
Um, in our paper, Van lays out five key ways platforms can step up.
I want to highlight three that matter deeply to our community.
First, priority reporting channels, protected and protected status.
You cannot treat a grieving family member like a regular user reporting spam.
When a verified victim flags content, it shouldn't sit in a generic automated queue.
It needs to bypass a box and go straight up and go It needs to bypass the bots and go straight to trained human moderators who understand trauma.
An algorithm simply cannot grasp the subtle cruelty or taggered harassment or borderline content.
This needs to be backed up by cross platform alters and graduate and guaranteed response times.
Second, safety by design, calendar safety, and engagement metrics.
Platform systems need to be engineered to protect public mental health during high stakes moments.
Extremists, anniversaries aren't just dates.
They are operational opportunities to coordinate, re applaud, share manifestos, and target survivors.
Systems must automatically turn up detection sensitivity around these dates.
When platforms profit off rage bait and controversy, they are directly monetizing the outrage that extremists rely on.
Recommendation engines must actively neutralize trending graphic trauma rather than amplifying it for profit, while giving users real tools like keyword blockers and warning pop ups so survivors can safely navigate their own feet.
Third, activating the Golden Hour protocol.
The first 6 minutes after an attack shaped the entire lifespan of its online harm.
Platforms need prearranged crisis response rooms that go live instantly.
In those critical first moments, platforms must flood the digital space with verified facts and safe sharing templates, drowning the algorithmic misinformation and deep fakes before they take root.
Reflecting on recent events and contagion effect, I can say this isn't just theoretical policy work, and it isn't an issue locked in 2019.
We saw this exact nightmare repeat itself on May 18th, 2000 2026, at the Islamic Center of San Diego.
Two teenagers radicalized entirely online, attacked a mosque community leaving behind a 74 page manifesto that explicitly called them the Sons of errant.
When platforms leave digital archives, manifestos, and extremist blueprints floating around online, bad actors treat them as a textbook.
They copy the length, the tactics, and the framing for the next tragedy.
Van members have lived through this.
We bring real expertise, resilience, and practical answers to the table.
We aren't asking tech companies to shield us by shutting us out.
We are asking them to work alongside us to build a digital world where hate is denied a platform, and every victim's dignity and peace are protected.
Thank you, Mason.
That's a really powerful call to action, and something that I was really struck by was this idea that digital cleanup can't be the job of victims of terrorism and victims of terrorism families.
I think that's a really powerful point.
But thank you to both you, Mason, and ODT, for some really specific, which I think is really helpful and really practical advice for tech companies.
And I'd like to now turn to really ask the question about what is working and where progress has indeed been made in this regard and where the sector still needs to, I guess, progress some more.
So, Noreen, welcome from GIF CTs perspective.
How does your organization assist its members in preventing the misuse of platforms for terrorist or violent extremist content? And where have you seen the most progress in addressing sources of online harm for victims of terrorism thanks for the question, San, and to you and OCT, for inviting us here to speak and talk a little bit about GIF CD's work, to create safer online spaces.
And I think just before I get ahead of myself and go into my response, I just wanted to take a moment here to remember and honor the victims of terrorism and the survivors and all whose testimony shape our work and mission.
I think at the end of the day, you know, everything that we are doing online, offline, and communities in policymaking for is really about safeguarding human beings and creating safer spaces.
So for connection.
So I think that just taking a moment to remember that goal is really important.
Um, you know, we've been talking about counterterrorism issues now for many decades, but I think a real difference now is that today, many of our collective memory lives online.
And so we see digital platforms or places where victim stories are shared, where communities come together and where education and remembrance can reach audiences around the world.
And we see emerging technologies showing great promise and opportunity in regard, you know, a little bit about like what we're doing here today, which is made possible, of course, by technology.
But as both Odette and Mason have highlighted, the same spaces also expose, and we know this victims and survivors to renewed harm through the circulation of graphic attack footage, glorification of perpetrators and online harassment.
So, for us, that's why we really thought the launch of the Vo ten briefing paper was both timely and important, and we were really pleased and honored contribute to this initiative by sharing some of our existing best practice and guidance across our member companies.
But really, to get at the answer to the first part of your question, I want to take a step back and introduce GIF CT in our work because in many ways, that is the response to your question.
That's how we try and make that progress.
So if you don't already know us, we are a unique tech led nonprofit organization bringing together more than 40 diverse tech platforms as members.
And we also work with civil society, with governments and researchers and international organizations to prevent terrorists and violent extremists from exploiting digital platforms.
But How do we do all this? We do it through four key tools.
First, we have a platform for fostering information sharing and collaboration across our members.
So it doesn't mean that at any given time we're just talking to one company, it means that there's almost 40 companies talking to 40 companies at any given moment and creating a really unique space for ongoing information sharing and collaboration.
We have a hash sharing database for terrorist content, which allows us to share information about online content and harmful content with platforms without recirculating the content itself or any related PII.
It means we can tell companies what kind of harmful, you know, images and information might be on their platform through the use of this digital footprint or a hash.
We have an incident response framework, which is how we are allowed to respond for sort of online content related to happening offline attacks.
That means we can rapidly share information about the perpetrator and about any perpetrator produced online content as it's unfolding with all 40 of our member companies.
And finally, our fourth tool is an academic arm based in King's College, London, the Global Network on extremism and technology.
Produces research and analysis and invites contributions from global experts and practitioners.
We have spoken with many victims groups and associations about positive contributions, and I invite all of you as well to consider contributions.
The work from Genet goes directly into our member companies, partners and stakeholders, and so it's an incredible way to raise awareness and understanding about different dynamics.
So the four tools we have to do our work at GIF CT are also four of the ways we make progress, as you asked, CN and that's the more we develop and refine these tools, that's a key part of how we advance the goal.
Um, but just in addition to help prevent the misuse of platforms for terrorist or violent extremist content, we also work with our member companies to develop their policies and frameworks.
These include some of the publicly available community standards and reporting mechanisms, as you know, but our cross platform dialogue and engagement also helps support knowledge sharing and capacity development on this front.
And so a lot of what we're talking about here today can also find its way into our support and engagement to companies.
But We know that technology alone isn't enough.
It's not just about content moderation.
We know that it's important to build different and multiple layers of expertise and engagement.
So through our working groups, through practitioner resources, through initiatives such as our campaign toolkit, which is there to help civil society organizations and practitioners and activists create kind of counter hate, counter messaging campaigns.
CT is sure to support positive online interventions, amplify credible voices, including those of civil society and victims organizations, so we can help build resilience against terrorists and violent extremist narratives and not just focus on kind of the online aspect.
To further get to the progress part of your questions, I would say we've shared these tools and resources with a growing number of companies.
And as you know, we started with four founding companies.
We are now at 40.
And for me, progress looks like deeper engagement with that diverse tech stack.
It means that we've also been able to deepen our engagement with the UN, of course, with OCT, with multi stakeholder partners, and we've actually integrated considerations of victims and survivors as we develop our internal tools and processes, including the new incident response framework, which we updated.
So try to get through a lot there.
There's always a lot more to be done, but I think through our commitment to membership criteria that includes a focus on human rights, obligations, our work supporting public education and member capacity development, we hope to keep advancing these goals and working with all of you.
Thanks, Noreen.
So I want to kind of pull on one thread here, which is actually to focus on the tech sector themselves.
Yeah.
So what do you see really as the main challenges that face industry, you know, despite all best intentions to do the right thing and to protect victims of terrorism on these spaces? But what do you see as the main challenges when it comes to actively protecting victims of terrorism from online harms? I don't know if I can think of just one main challenge.
I think there's actually several in this space.
As you say, as we continue to progress, there's a lot more to do.
So first, I think a challenge facing industry as well as, you know, the partners and policy and practice that are kind of symbiotic with the sector in order to make these changes.
First, the online environment is evolving rapidly, which means there's new ways for harmful content to be produced, manipulated, and disseminated.
And that means that relationship between what's happening online, policy and practice needs to keep pace with a really rapid pace of development, and we know that it's not always easy for sectors to move that quickly.
Um, Second, I think, is deepening and improving our understanding and response to the full range of harms experienced by victims and survivors.
And I think it's not always clearly understood that these harms often extend beyond individual pieces of content and can include, you know, what both Odette and Mason have so eloquently described persistent exposure, amplification, long term emotional impact.
And so that means investing in research and analysis and education.
Um, Third, and, you know, I think Mason outlined this perfectly, effective responses have to take into consideration the perspectives of those most affected.
But that also means sustained and structured engagement with victims, with survivors, working with trusted civil society partners.
And, you know, however much progress there is, there's always more to be done in that space.
So it's always going to be a challenge to balance as much as, you know, different sectors want to do with what is feasible.
And finally, we've heard this before so many times, but it's so true that no single platform, government, or organization can meet this challenge alone.
We've seen that as platforms improve their responses on these fronts, adversarial actors adapt and shift very quickly to other platforms or other spaces.
So We are not talking about just a single platform responding, but it also means governments and organizations have to be working with companies, with public private partnerships, and we know that that's very easily said and acknowledged, but it's not always that easy or quick in practice.
So I think that really making sure that we can deepen collaboration across the digital ecosystem and industry, but also keeping victims needs at the center of the efforts will continue to be essential to building safer and more resilient spaces.
Thanks, Noreen.
That's really clear and really important message.
And of course, we would always advocate and put forward Votan as a great resource for the tech industry for a one stop shop for that kind of advice and engagement.
So thank you.
And now I would like to turn to Emily.
So I want to bring you in here and drawing on you and OCTs gap analysis on digital tools to support victims of terrorism, what are some of the existing tools that we identified to help create safer online spaces and where do you see key opportunities for the UN and victims and industry to work together to fill those remaining gaps? Thank you, C, and thank you, everyone.
Honestly.
This is such an important discussion and such a momentous moment to be doing it as well on the occasion of International Day.
So I really appreciate the opportunity to be here and to speak a little bit about the work that we've been doing at the United Nations Office of Counterterrorism.
Earlier this year, we published a report mentioned by C, the Gap analysis of digital tools to support victims of terrorism to sort of try and map emerging technologies and trends against priority needs of victims of terrorism, including psychosocial care, information services, peer support networks, and protection against revictimization, including in the online sphere.
I think what the gap analysis for me made abundantly clear is that while emerging technologies offer great opportunities to develop and to improve victim centered support, they also expose victims to new digital harms, and those harms, I think, as Noreen has laid out, they're really evolving very fast.
They are evolving at the speed of technology itself.
So today, I want to draw directly from those findings and the recommendations to address two kind of core dimensions.
First, as you've asked about the tools that we've identified that already exist to address sources of online harm, including synthetic content and AI generated disinformation.
And second, where the report identifies key opportunities for us here at the UN, member states, victims associations, and tech companies to bridge remaining gaps through the sort of structured practical collaboration that I think all of our speakers have laid out here today is so essential to this task.
I really appreciate Noreen's comment at the end there about the fact that this is not something that any of us can fix by ourselves.
I think this is going to be something that is going to require a lot of effort and engagement across a lot of different sectors.
So really excited to be part of that.
I think in terms of the report itself, as well as acknowledging the great work done by organizations like GIF CT, Tech against Terrorism, and Christchurch Core to address the illegal exploitation of online platforms by terrorist groups, including through their crisis response frameworks, our research highlights that in addition to illegal or graphic content, a growing and deeply disturbing trend involves the strategic use of AI generated mis and disinformation to target victims directly, and this is something that both Odin and Mason have talked about in their segments as well.
I think a stark example that we picked up for the report itself was following the December 2025 Bonai Beach attack, where distorted AI altered images of real victims were circulated online to claim that individuals were applying fake blood or framing the tragedy as a hoax.
This type of targeted denial and disinformation does not just distort the truth, and we know that information integrity in a crisis is so important, but it can also inflict profound secondary trauma on victims, their families, their communities, undermining both personal and societal healing, as well as border public trust.
Now, the good news in some ways is that platforms do have tools at their disposal to address some of this as mapped in the report.
Many use a mixture of model specific watermarks or content credentials to identify AI generated or AI edited content.
Actually, in the Bonai example, specifically, Google used a Synth ID, which is a hidden watermark that it embeds in content created on or modified by Google models to confirm that those circulating images were indeed AI generated.
Similarly, similarly, we've got other, um, Approaches here, Open AI attaches a CTPA manifest, which is a sort of form of cryptographically signed metadata or fingerprint to images generated via its models and virus API, which also allows users to verify provenance on sites like content credentials.
And platforms can also do some work internally through generation logs, content hashes, model origin classifiers that are trained to recognize structural patterns typical of different AI model families to help understand what has been created and generated.
Um, but I think what is urgently needed now is a faster, more accessible way for both platforms and end users to reveal these hidden watermarks or manifests in real time, especially when content touches on sensitive subjects like victims of terrorism.
We need sort of swifter, trusted pathways to discredit down rank synthetic disinformation before it takes hold of the public imagination and goes viral.
And I think this is one of the big challenges and one of the challenges of an ever evolving sector.
There are a couple more initiatives and operational frameworks just from the gap analysis that I want to highlight here that show some promise, including the new EU online crisis response framework, which focuses on preventing terrorist and violent extremist content from going viral, but also puts a real focus on protecting affected individuals and communities while safeguarding fundamental human rights and freedoms online.
We've seen also at the national level, Spain Center of Intelligence to Counterterrorism and Organized Crime has been actively collaborating with victims associations to define and remove harmful content.
Deploying dedicated teams tasked with ensuring that not only disinformation is considered, but also materials, other sorts of materials that risk re traumatizing victims, which brings me to a crucial nuance highlighted throughout our findings and indeed throughout our discussion today about managing content that is harmful to victims that does not constitute disinformation and does not cross the thresholds of being illegal or graphic in nature, because not all traumatic content violates standard platform policies.
A couple of the tools we discussed in the report for this around content controls.
For example, warning labels, down ranking, age gating, to exist to moderate help users moderate their own exposure.
And both of Odette and Mason spoke a little bit about the importance of this and handing users back the control over what they see and when they see it.
And as Botan also stresses in its briefing paper launched today, we can significantly reinforce these mechanisms by partnering directly with victims groups to ensure that victims have seamless control over their privacy and feed settings, particularly around sensitive anniversaries, memorials, trial dates, other significant dates.
We need protective adjustments during these high vulnerability periods to prevent algorithms from amplifying emotionally charged or hostile content into victims' feeds, especially when they are at their most exposed.
We do recognize that terrorism is just one of the many complex issues that industry trust and safety teams manage every single day.
And that's precisely where we think that collaboration and cooperation come into play.
So to the second part of your question, we do see networks of victims of terrorism and civil society associations such as Votan as really key to providing technology platforms with a community of practice and a trusted community of experts grounded in their own lived experiences of the online harms that can be suffered by victims of terrorism.
They really do offer unique insights into the real world impacts and can help inform platform policies, train trust and safety practitioners, as well as guiding early warning and crisis response protocols.
So we would really warmly welcome new partnerships, whether with individual tech firms, industry coalitions, other multi stakeholder initiatives.
And at the same time, one of the things that we've seen, which is also very encouraging in this space, is that individual member states and regional organizations are striving to strengthen their own digital safeguards following terrorist incidents.
So the United Nations, I think, in partnership with networks like Brotan is pretty uniquely positioned to help co develop new frameworks grounded in victims' rights, assess the stress resistance and victim centeredness of existing response protocols, or even run realistic crisis simulation exercises to ensure that victim protections are not overlooked in the chaotic aftermath of an attack, whether in the information space or on the ground.
So we're currently developing guidance on this theme of online harms in our 2026 cross sectoral working groups on tech for victims of terrorism.
And to conclude, really, for those member states and organization seeking technical support, please reach out, as well as for donors or partners who can fund these vital capacity building initiatives.
We're always looking for more partners in this space.
I think this is going to be a really crucial effort in the years going forward, as well as for industry leaders who want to build safer, more resilient digital spaces.
Our door is always open to explore pathways to doing that and how we can help.
And how networks like Brotan can help support this effort.
So we're really ready to partner with different organizations to turn the recommendations, both from the gap analysis and the recommendations that Brotan are launching today into practical operational realities and to build a safer Internet for victims of terrorism worldwide.
So I think that's where I'll leave it.
Thanks so much, Emily.
And again, just to echo your call to action, we're looking for partners.
We're keen to work with industry, with UN, with victims organizations.
Let's talk.
So thank you to all of the speakers today, and I just want to note again that today marks the ninth commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of and tribute to the victims of terrorism.
And to close our discussion, I'd like to ask each of our panelists to take a minute to reflect on why anniversaries and commemorations like today's are particularly critical moments to get safeguards right and to protect victims from online harms.
So me soon, if you don't mind, I'll start with you.
Um, days like today are sacred, meant for quiet healing and honoring those we have lost.
Yet for survivors, these anniversaries are high risk windows where old wounds are reopened online.
Extremist networks weaponize memorial dates to re upload attack footage and spread manifestos.
When platforms push rage bait for clicks, they profit from the exact outrage extremist exploit, catching grieving families off guard.
Getting safeguards right isn't just about compliance.
It is a fundamental duty of care to prioritize human dignity over engagement metrics.
Ensuring remembrance remains about community, safety, and healing, not digital harm.
Thank you.
Thanks so much, Mason.
Ode, over to you.
Yes, I know anniversaries and commemorations are essential moments for victims.
They acknowledge their suffering, honor those who were killed and help transform painful and individual memories into a meaningful collective memory.
However, there are also period of heightened emotional vulnerability.
Image of the attack reappear, media attention increases, and victims may be more exposed to violent content, disinformation, harassment, or the use of their stories without their consent.
A commemoration must never become a new source of trauma.
Platforms, media organizations and institutions should anticipate these periods by strengthening moderations warning victims before sensitive content in share is shared and verifying their consent and enabling them to obtain the rapid removal of harmful content.
Protecting commemoration does not mean erasing memory.
It means creating a space in which memory can contribute to recognition, dignity, and healing instead of exposing victims to violence once again.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ade.
Noe your reflections.
Yeah, I think, you know, anniversaries and commemoration like the ones today are really important for remembrance, solidarity, hearing, healing, sorry.
And I think also very importantly for sharing the burden of memory, right? The anniversary means that we are collectively sharing the memory of a traumatic event.
We also have seen, and we're hearing how the harms that arise can be so damaging.
We've seen that as attention increases around an anniversary.
We've seen graphic footage, images, extremist propaganda, you know, glorifying content, and we know that can resurface and spread rapidly.
I think understanding this dynamic helps boost preparation and awareness on the response and mitigation side.
Um, unfortunately, it also creates potential opportunities for copycats or perpetrators who want to maybe exploit anniversaries to gain attention for their violence and goals.
So also from a law enforcement preparedness point of view, it's really important to understand what happens on these anniversaries and commemorations.
But I think for GIF CT, quite practically, this reinforces the importance that collective preparedness and rapid coordination across platforms is necessary, particularly around moments when we know that harmful content is likely to surface or resurface, as the case may be.
So to that end, we've been working with experts and partners to create a number of practical resources and guides to help raise awareness among our tech company members about key dates, about anniversaries.
As I mentioned, we invest in GNP, the Global Network on extremism and technology, which also invites contributions to ensure that our member companies and stakeholders have as many diverse perspectives and analysis to inform their approaches.
It really is one of those moments where, you know, the better prepared we are, the more we can try and mitigate some of these really awful harms that we've been hearing about.
Yeah, thanks so much.
Emily, final thoughts? Yeah, I think from our perspective, sort of, apart from the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack, I think it's hard to think of more high stakes, information environments for victims than commemorations, memorials, anniversaries and other significant dates.
Um, these are difficult information environments, but also deeply emotional moments for victims, their families, and their communities.
So right when a victim is likely to be at the most vulnerable is when the chances of harmful content is most likely to hit their feed or online harm is most likely to occur.
And we've heard so much today about value of memory for healing.
I think it's really vital for us to take that away as a community and step up and do better to protect those precious moments from becoming vectors for re traumatization.
I think the other consideration for me is that, you know, we can't know when or where the next terrorist attack will occur, sadly.
We need to prepare in advance for crisis communications that are ready to activate the moment that they are needed.
But to some extent, we can prepare for the information environments that surround anniversaries and key dates.
We need to work together to map and to track these so that harmful content can be caught early if it cannot be prevented entirely.
Thank you, Emily, and a really heartfelt thanks to all of our panelists today.
Odette Mason, Noreen, Emily, for sharing your really invaluable expertise and experiences, and, in fact, your vision today was really wonderful session.
So as we've heard, protecting victims of terrorism online requires continuous commitment, trauma informed, victim centric, and actionable safeguards.
And this groundbreaking victim led briefing paper that we have developed is a vital step forward.
So we strongly encourage everyone watching today to read the full briefing paper, which is building a safer Internet for victims of terrorism, recommendations from Votan, which is available now on the UN OCT website.
So thank you all for joining us, and thank you for supporting this vital work.
So I would now like to pass the floor back to the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network to Votan for their messages on the theme of healing through memory to close out today's commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of and tribute to the victims of terrorism.
Thank you.
One thing that helped me heal after 911 was the strength I found in gathering with others.
Sharing stories allowed me to honor the past while looking to a hopeful future kept me moving forward to live each day with purpose and resilience.
One thing that helped me heal after losing my beloved son in the Christ Church terrorist attack was my faith and writing children's stories for my granddaughter, like I and the butterfly and the heavenly Papa giraffe and channeling all of that love into becoming a proactive advocate for the victims of terrorism.
Healing through memory means carrying my angel daughter Sarah with me every day.
We honor those taken from us by remembering how they lived, not just how they died.
Through memory, we find courage, hope, and a way to keep their love alive.
For me, healing through memory is about the remembrance of goodness, very deep in our hearts in the needs of evilness.
We have hope and gratitude because we remember what is good.
The International Day is very important because it is solidarity.
The pain of another becomes our own, and the joy of another becomes our own to celebrate.
What helped me heal is the comforting presence of family and friends who were with me beyond time and space, physically and spiritually.
One thing that has helped me to heal is to be part of this incredible international network of victims of terrorism, knowing you're not alone, working together with others to make things better for future survivors and to try to counter terrorism is so important and I'm very grateful.
The International Remembrance Day gave us the strength to continue spreading the word of peace.
As victims, we remind the whole world of the fallen ones, and we are trying to live our lives smoothly, although we are not fully healed yet, as we remember the fallen ones every day.
International Day is important for victims of terrorism.
Every day of remembrance matters.
Every trite keeps alive the memory of those who lost array of things or commitment to truth, memory, dignity, and justice.
International Day of remembrance and tribute to the victim of tourism is important to me because I am a survivor of tourism.
My pain becomes strong and my message is simple.
Every survivor deserves to be heard, supported, and given a chance to repel it with dignity.
We remember, we heal, we rise together.