From Pahalgam to 9/11: India-hosted UN exhibition spotlights devastating impact of terrorism

United Nations | An exhibition hosted by India, highlighting the human cost of heinous terrorist acts perpetrated across the world -- from the Pahalgam terror attack to 9/11 -- was unveiled at the United Nations headquarters on Monday.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar inaugurated the solemn exhibition titled "The Human Cost of Terrorism”, organised by India’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

The exhibition highlights major terror attacks ranging from the 2006 Mumbai train bombings and 2008 Mumbai assaults to more recent incidents such as the April 22 Pahalgam attack, alongside the 9/11 attacks in the US, and the 2016 Uri and 2019 Pulwama strikes.

The specially-curated digital exhibition highlights “the devastating toll of heinous terrorist acts around the world, and the steps taken by the international community to combat terrorism”, the organisers said.

The exhibition, which will be on display at two locations in the UN Headquarters from June 30 to July 3 and July 7 to July 11, opened a day before Pakistan begins its Presidency of the UN Security Council on Tuesday for the month of July.

Pakistan, which hosts a large number of UN-proscribed terror entities and individuals, will preside over the 15-nation Council for the month of July.

The exhibition lists various attacks perpetrated by terror outfits across the world, from the 1985 Air India 182 Kanishka Bombing, the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, the September 11 World Trade Centre attacks, IC 814 hijacking, the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, 2002 Bali bombings and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The exhibition, with images and videos, highlights the Uri, Pulwama and the Pahalgam attacks as well as the 2016 Brussels bombings and the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings.

A separate digital screen lists the perpetrators of the attacks, number of victims and those injured as well as their nationalities. It specifically mentions details of the terror outfits and individuals responsible for the attacks, including Pakistan-based and UN proscribed entities such as the JeM and LeT.

Videos and images of the April 22 Pahalgam attacks, for which The Resistance Front (TRF), a front for Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) claimed responsibility, are displayed on a separate screen with the title ‘Pahalgam: Never Again'.

A screen at the exhibition also displayed the global messages of condemnation for the Pahalgam terror attacks from world leaders.

The exhibition also highlights the “global response” and India’s contribution to combating terrorism, including the 2002 Delhi Declaration that called for global action against terrorist misuse of tech and built principles focusing on AI, human rights and regional cooperation.

The visuals and images highlight the devastation caused by the terror attacks as well as the emotional response and unbearable pain of families of the victims.

In October 2022, the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), chaired by India that year, had organised a Special Meeting in New Delhi and Mumbai on the overarching theme of ‘Countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes’.

As an outcome of the special meeting, the Committee had adopted the ‘Delhi Declaration’ on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes.

India, during its 2021-22 tenure as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, had assumed the chair of the CTC in 2022. The meeting of UNSC CTC took place on October 28 in Hotel Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, the site of the horrific 26/11 Mumbai attacks and in Delhi on October 29, where the Delhi Declaration was agreed upon.