UN / PEACEKEEPING MEDAL

The Security Council today (8 May) decided to create “the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage” in honour of a United Nations peacekeeper credited with saving scores of Rwandans from death during the 1994 genocide. UNIFEED - UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Production Date: 8 May 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: DEPARTMENT OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS - DPKO
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; HISTORY
• Geographic Subject: RWANDA; SENEGAL
• MAMS Id: 1014688

Description

STORY: UN / PEACEKEEPING MEDAL
TRT: 1.14
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 8 MAY 2014, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

8 MAY 2014, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, delegates
4. Various shots, Security Council vote
5. Wide shot, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein at the stakeout position

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

6. Close up, reporter’s notepad

8 MAY 2014, NEW YORK CITY

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein, Permanent Representative of Jordan to the United Nations:
“The resolution that we just adopted was adopted to shed light on those individuals who in the field and in dangerous situations demonstrate exceptional courage while serving humanity and the UN. It was named after Captain Mbaye Diagne from Senegal who sacrificed his life after rescuing on his own hundreds, maybe even a thousand civilians who were threatened by certain death during the genocide against the Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda twenty years ago. He is a hero of the UN without equal and it is an honour for us to place his name on this medal.”

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

8. Close up, reporter’s notepad

8 MAY 2014, NEW YORK CITY

9. Med shot, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein walks away from the stakeout position

Storyline

The Security Council today (8 May) decided to create “the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage” in honour of a United Nations peacekeeper credited with saving scores of Rwandans from death during the 1994 genocide.

According to a resolution unanimously adopted by the Council, the medal will be awarded to those military, police, civilian UN personnel and associated personnel “who demonstrate exceptional courage, in the face of extreme danger, while fulfilling the mandate of their missions or their functions, in the service of humanity and the United Nations.”

Outside the Council Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein, Permanent Representative of Jordan who sponsored the resolution, said the medal was named after Captain Mbaye Diagne “who sacrificed his life after rescuing on his own hundreds, maybe even a thousand civilians who were threatened by certain death during the genocide against the Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda twenty years ago.”

He said Diagne was “a hero of the UN without equal.”

Beginning in April 1994, more than 800,000 Tutsis, as well as Hutu and others who opposed the genocide, were killed over the course of over 100 days.

The Council recognized “with the deepest regret” how the family of Captain Diagne never received, after his death, any expressions of appreciation from UN Headquarters for the sacrifices made by their distinguished family member.

The 15-member body requested the Secretary-General to establish, within six months from today, the design of the medal, and to submit in due course to the Security Council the modalities for determining how the recipients of the medal shall be nominated and chosen.