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International Day of the United Nations Peacekeepers

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International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
The famous UN "Blue Helmet"
Observed byUnited Nations personnel and internationally
SignificanceCommemorates sacrifice made by UN personnel on peacekeeping missions.
CelebrationsPresentation of Dag Hammarskjöld Medal
DateMay 29
Next time29 May 2027 (2027-05-29)
Frequencyannual

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, is an international day held annually on May 29, to pay tribute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their professionalism, dedication, and courage, and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.[1]

Creation

It was so designated by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 57/129, on December 11, 2002,[1][2] 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 (UNTSO) in 1948 to monitor the ceasefire after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, which was the first ever UN peacekeeping mission.

Commemoration

The day is marked at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City with the presentation of the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal posthumously honouring fallen peacekeepers,[3] statements by the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General, as well as a press release regarding the state of UN peacekeeping missions and the continued necessity of their work.[4]

There are also observances around the world; often countries will honor their own peacekeepers abroad,[5][6] but the UN also organizes festivals, discussion forums, and memorials in cooperation with local and national groups.[7]

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.[8]

National Peacekeepers' Day is commemorated in Canada on 9 August. The day was chosen to recognize the greatest single loss of Canadian lives in a peacekeeping mission, when in 1974 nine Canadian peacekeepers were killed when their plane was shot down in Syria.[9]

References/Notes

  1. UN General Assembly. "Resolution 57/129 - International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers". docs.un.org. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  2. United Nations. "International Day of UN Peacekeepers". United Nations. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  3. United Nations. "International Day of UN Peacekeepers - Medal Awards". United Nations. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  4. United Nations. "International Day of UN Peacekeepers - Background". United Nations. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  5. "International Day of UN Peacekeepers | Armed Forces Division (AFD) of Bangladesh". afd.gov.bd. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  6. "Minister for United Nations marks International Day of UN Peacekeepers". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  7. "International Day of UN Peacekeepers: 16th Annual Conference". www.rusi.org. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  8. "Women in Peacekeeping: Power to Empower". www.un.org.
  9. "National Peacekeepers' Day – August 9th | Veterans Affairs Canada". www.veterans.gc.ca. Retrieved 2026-04-27.

See also