Sir Michael Lyons, BBC Chairman,

Mr. Mark Thomson, Director General of the BBC,

Family members, members of the journalists,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great privilege for me to be here tonight to dedicate this important memorial. I was very much moved by meeting the families whose dear family members have been killed during their official duties reporting.

This beam of light is certainly a striking addition to the London skyline – but of course it is so much more than that. It stands as a solemn reminder of those who have lost their lives giving voice to the voiceless.

It is the light that shines when journalists report stories which powerful interests are trying to cover up. It is a beacon of hope for millions of people who thirst for the truth. And it is the light of justice that courageous journalists fight for – and that we must obtain in cases where they have been killed.

Those who murder journalists don't only stop the free flow of information; they kill the ability of millions of people to have their stories told.

This monument stands in tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives so that the rest of us could be informed. But it is also for those who survive, those who are out there, right now, risking their lives to report what they uncover in the face of deadly threats.

Tragically, there are too many cases to mention. Just this month, an Afghan reporter working for the BBC, Abdul Samad Rohani, was abducted and killed. That same weekend, a reporter named Nasteh Dahir [Farah] was gunned down in Somalia.

The list goes on. All too often, virtually no one hears about the murder of a journalist. Many die not in wars that make international headlines, but in small villages where they are investigating crime or corruption. They don't have a famous byline, but local people depend on them, sometimes for their very survival.

These fallen heroes are lost but they will never be forgotten. This memorial stands in testament to their enduring legacy.

In tribute to their memory, we must end the culture of impunity surrounding crimes against reporters. We must bring the perpetrators to justice. In 2002, the UN Security Council reacted to deliberate attacks against journalists around the world with a call for States to shield them. In a legally binding resolution, the Council demanded that countries abide by their obligation under international law to protect journalists.

All stories about reporters who risk their lives do not need to unhappily. Take the case of your BBC colleague Alan Johnston, who was held in captivity for 114 days last year in Gaza. I called for his immediate release on a live appeal on BBC TV. We were all relieved when he regained his freedom on 4 July of last year. The lesson is that consistent pressure can work, and can help to save journalists' lives.

The fight for justice must go on. It takes courage. I have seen such courage embodied in one of my close colleagues. Let me take a moment to say a few words about my own Spokesperson of the United Nations, Michele Montas.

Michele was a reporter for Radio Haiti with her husband Jean Dominique when he was killed in 2000 on his way to work. Michele continued to report on the case and seek justice. In 2002, gunmen killed her bodyguard with bullets targeted against her. Nothing could destroy Jean's brave spirit; it still shines in Michele's eyes.

This monument is for Michele, and Jean Dominique, and all the journalists worldwide who have braved deadly threats and paid the ultimate price for their courage. And it is for those who are working now, and who look to this light for protection as they risk their lives to share the stories of millions of people worldwide who would otherwise be ignored.

They say that the pen is mightier than the sword, but those who wield the pen to reveal the truth are the mightiest of all.

With the courageous reporting of those who have fallen, and with the ongoing work of reporters carrying their legacy forward, humanity can advance. Let's unveil this memorial with the hope that someday it will stand in solemn remembrance of times past, and that we will live in a future where the lives of journalists – and the truth that they guard in sacred trust – are safe and secure.

I would now like to dedicate the breathing sculpture to commemorate the lives of journalists and news crew who have died reporting the news.

Thank you very much.