The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, May 29, is "an
international day
Lists of holidays by various categorizations.
Religious holidays
Abrahamic holidays (Middle Eastern)
Jewish holidays
*Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread – 7 days of consumption of matzo with wine and avoidance of leavened foods ...
to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in
United Nations peacekeeping operations
The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) (French: ''Département des opérations de maintien de la paix'') is a department of the United Nations charged with the planning, preparation, management and direction of United Nations peacekeeping, UN ...
for their high level of
professionalism
A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skil ...
, dedication, and courage and to honor the
memory
Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...
of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace."
Creation
It was so designated by
United Nations General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...
Resolution 57/129, on December 11, 2002, after an official request of the Ukrainian Peacekeepers Association and the Government of Ukraine to the UN General Assembly and first celebrated in 2003. The date, May 29, marks the anniversary of the creation of the
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
The United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) is an organization founded on 29 May 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. Established amidst the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, its primary task was initially to provide the military com ...
(UNTSO) in 1948 to monitor the
ceasefire
A ceasefire (also known as a truce or armistice), also spelled cease fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be between state act ...
after the
1948 Arab-Israeli War
Events January
* January 1
** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated.
** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect.
** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...
, which was the first ever UN peacekeeping mission.
Commemoration
The day is marked at the
United Nations Headquarters
The United Nations is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States, and the complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1951. It is in the Turtle Bay, Manhattan, Turtle Bay neig ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
with the presentation of the
Dag Hammarskjöld Medal The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal is a posthumous award given by the United Nations (UN) to military personnel, police, or civilians who lose their lives while serving in a United Nations peacekeeping operation. The medal is named after Dag Hammarskjöld ...
, statements by the
President of the General Assembly
The president of the United Nations General Assembly is a position voted by representatives in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on a yearly basis. The president is the chair and presiding officer of the General Assembly.
Election
...
and the
Secretary-General
Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...
, as well as a press release regarding the state of UN Peacekeeping missions and the continued necessity of their work.
There are also observances around the world; often countries will honor their own peacekeepers abroad, but the UN also organizes festivals, discussion forums, and memorials in cooperation with local and national groups.
In 2009, the UN put a special focus on the role of and need for women in peacekeeping, both as role models and also to serve in a number of gender-specific capacities.
National Peacekeepers' Day is commemorated in Canada on 9 August in memory of the loss of life when a Canadian-operated white UN marked passenger airplane was shot down by Syria.
References/Notes
See also
*{{Commonscatinline
*
Attacks on humanitarian workers Humanitarian aid workers belonging to United Nations organisations, PVOs / NGOs or the Red Cross / Red Crescent have traditionally enjoyed both international legal protection, and ''de facto'' immunity from attack by belligerent parties. However, ...
*
International Day of Peace
The International Day of Peace, also officially known as World Peace Day, is a United Nations-sanctioned holiday observed annually on 21 September. It is dedicated to world peace, and specifically the absence of war and violence, such as migh ...
*
Veterans Day (Sweden)
Veterans Day ( sv, Veterandagen) is observed annually in Sweden on May 29 at the Maritime Museum in Stockholm in honor of people who are or have been serving with the Swedish Armed Forces in international military operations, as well as commemor ...
External links
UN peacekeeping website*
ttps://undof.unmissions.org/ Official UNDOF WebsiteOfficial Austrian Army Website – UNDOF (German)*
Austrian Army – UNDOF (Wikipedia-German)UNIKOM
May observances
Remembrance days
United Nations peacekeeping
United Nations days
Veterans days