29 May 2008
International Day of UN Peacekeepers 2008

The International Day of UN Peacekeepers is commemorated each year on 29 May. The day was established in 2002 to pay tribute to the professionalism, dedication and courage demonstrated by all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in UN peacekeeping operations.

Click here to read more about the day.

This year, the day also marks the 60th anniversary of UN peacekeeping. In 1948 the Security Council established the first peacekeeping mission – the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) – which deployed a small group of unarmed military observers to the Middle East. In the six decades since then, peacekeeping has developed into one of the most important and visible of the UN’s activities. Today the UN deploys almost 110,000 men and women from 118 countries to 20 peace operations on four continents. The UN is the largest multilateral contributor to post-conflict operations worldwide, directly impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of people.

Click here to view the UN website chronicling 60 years of UN peacekeeping.
Click here to read the special edition of UNRIC magazine

Commemorations took place at UN headquarters in New York. In his message to mark the day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, 'This anniversary is an occasion to celebrate, but also to mourn our fallen colleagues. Over these six decades, more than 2,400 men and women have died serving the cause of peace. Just last year alone, we lost 87 brave individuals. Each one is a hero. Today, we recommit ourselves to ensuring that their sacrifices are never forgotten, and the vital work of the blue helmets continues as long as they are needed.'

Click here to read the Secretary-General's statement in full.

In his role as UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on UN peacekeeping, George Clooney made a public service address entitled 'Peace is Hard'. In the spot, Clooney draws attention to the 100,000 UN peacekeepers who protect civilians, oversee elections and disarm ex-combatants to ensure peace in many volatile regions. Since January, when he was appointed to the role by Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Clooney has been actively campaigning to end the conflict in Darfur and has travelled to visit peacekeepers in Sudan.

To watch 'Peace is Hard, click here or on the video in the sidebar.

UNA Westminster marks International Day of UN Peacekeepers

On Thursday, 22 May, UNA-UK Westminster branch held its fifth annual conference to mark the day. The all-day event was held at the Royal United Services Institute and featured a keynote address by General Patrick Cammaert, former force commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The day also included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.

Click here to find out more about the event.