United nations: International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, 9 December
The year 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, established through the United Nations General Assembly’s Resolution 69/323 of 29 September 2015. Furthermore, in September 2025 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Resolution A/RES/79/328 expressing concern that, despite the efforts of the international community, many thousands of innocent human beings continue to be victims of genocide. Underlining the responsibility of each State to prevent the crime of genocide and to fight impunity, through appropriate and necessary means. The resolution also requested the President of the General Assembly to convene a full-day high-level meeting to assess progress, confront ongoing challenges and renew the international community’s determination to address risks and prevent such crimes.
In August 2025 Mr. Beyani of Zambia was appointed Special Adviser of the Secretary-General for the Prevention of Genocide at the Under- Secretary-General level. Mr. Beyani is an international expert on internally-displaced persons, population transfers, mercenaries and private military companies, sexual and reproductive health, human rights-based approach to development and climate change, having served as Legal Adviser to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, United Nations Development Fund for Women, the European Union, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the African Union.
In March 2024, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Ms. Bleeker as his Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect. Ms. Bleeker most recently served as Special Envoy for Dealing with the Past and Prevention of Atrocities at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, where she has been working in different positions since 2003.