UN Peacekeepers Day 2021 Ceremony

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, 29 May, offers a chance to pay tribute to the uniformed and civilian personnel’s invaluable contribution to the work of the Organization and to honour more than 4,000 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948, including 130 last year.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Side Events
• Video Length: 00:37:51
• Production Date: 27 May 2021
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: ANTONIO GUTERRES; JEAN-PIERRE LACROIX
• Subject Topical: AWARDS; COMMEMORATION; INTERNATIONAL DAYS; PEACEKEEPERS; PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS; TRIBUTES; WOMEN IN ARMED CONFLICTS; YOUTH
• MAMS Id: 2625632
• Parent Id: 262740

Description

With a focus for this year’s International Day of UN Peacekeepers on youth, peace and security, the UN chief told a commemorative ceremony on Thursday that “peace cannot be achieved without the active participation of young people”.

“From CAR to DRC to Lebanon, our peacekeepers work with youth to reduce violence and sustain peace, including through Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration and Community violence reduction programmes”, Secretary-General António Guterres said.

“We salute the dedication and bravery of all our peacekeepers – women and men, the young and the slightly older – and we remain grateful for their service and sacrifice”, underscored the UN chief. “They deserve our full support, and we must continue to work together to do all that we can to improve their safety and security and give them the tools to succeed”.

Previously, the Secretary-General had lain a wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial to honour the more than 4,000 women and men who since 1948 have lost their lives while serving under the blue flag.

Malicious acts, accidents and fatal illnesses – including COVID-19 – had all taken their toll on uniformed and civilian peacekeepers over the past year, he explained.

Offering his condolences to their families and friends, the UN chief said: “We are forever in their debt”.

“Their ultimate sacrifice will not be forgotten, and they will always be in our hearts”, he promised.

After a moment of silence, the UN chief conducted the traditional Dag Hammarskjöld Medal Ceremony, posthumously awarding the 129 blue helmets who lost their lives while serving under the UN flag last year and this January.

The UN chief awarded Major Steplyne Nyaboga of Kenya the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

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UN NEWS