Fit for the future, building better together
For 76 years, United Nations peacekeepers have worked to save and change lives in the world’s most fragile political and security situations. Since 1948, more than two million uniformed and civilian personnel have helped countries to transition from war to peace. Today, more than 70,000 peacekeepers serve in deployed in hotspots around the world.
Observed under the theme “Fit for the future, building better together,” this year’s International Day looks at the invaluable contributions military, police and civilian peacekeepers have made over the last seven decades. It encapsulates the spirit of progress and collective action towards creating a more equal, just and sustainable world.
Over the years, peacekeeping has evolved to adapt to the changing political landscape and nature of conflicts which have become more complex and interconnected. With support from UN member countries, it continues to advance the path set forth in the UN Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace which calls for a more robust, holistic and collective response to the security threats of today and tomorrow.
Despite the challenges, peacekeepers persevere, alongside many partners, in the collective pursuit of peace. The International Day pays tribute to the service and sacrifice of peacekeepers and the resilience of the communities that they serve. It honours the more than who have lost their lives serving for peace.
This campaign also calls on each of us to join the global movement for peace. Alone, we can never succeed. But, together, we can be a strong force for change.
Peace Begins with Me Campaign
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Five Tools For Keeping Peace
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Events
To mark the International Day at UN Headquarters, the UN Secretary-General will lay a wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial in honour of fallen peacekeepers at 9:45 a.m. ET on Thursday, 30 May 2024.
Following that, at 11 a.m. ET, he will preside over an in-person ceremony at which the will be awarded posthumously to fallen peacekeepers. He will also present the award. Follow the ceremony on .
The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will be the guest at the noon briefing on 30 May. All events can be followed live on .
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