On the occasion of 75th International Peacekeepers Day, the Pakistani Mission to the United Nations is hosting an Exhibition entitled: “Tribute to Fallen Peacekeepers and Pakistan’s Contribution to UN Peacekeeping” at UN Secretariat from June 1-9, 2023.
The General Assembly, in its resolution 57/129, designated 29 May as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. This is the date when in 1948 the first UN peacekeeping mission named the “United Nations Truce Supervision Organization”, or UNTSO, began operations in Palestine.
On this day, we pay tribute to the professionalism, dedication, and courage of all the men and women serving in UN peacekeeping operations and honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
Pakistan takes immense pride in its abiding association with UN peacekeeping. Our standing as major troop and police contributing country is underpinned by our commitment to the goals of international peace, security, and stability. We take peacekeeping as a sacred duty and a powerful tool to serve humanity.
Over the last seven decades, UN peacekeeping has been an integral part of Pakistan’s foreign policy, as well as an expression of our pledge to promote international peace and stability. Our peacekeepers have supported peace agreements, deterred spoilers through robust peacekeeping and assisted host states with rule of law, institution building and security sector reform. They have also built schools and provided free medical camps. Their contribution is well established and remembered in the some of the key
peacekeeping success stories.
Currently Pakistani peacekeepers execute multidimensional mandates: from protection of civilians to humanitarian assistance to infrastructure development. By building roads, bridges and public parks, they continue to serve and facilitate some of the most vulnerable communities of the world.
Our female peacekeepers serve as doctors, nurses, gender advisors and vocational training officers but also as operations and logistics officers. In 2019, Pakistan deployed its first all- female community
engagement team in Democratic Republic of Congo. They implemented several successful initiatives including vocational trainings for students, teachers and women and psychological workshops for Congolese police.
More than 200,000 Pakistani men and women have served in 46 UN Missions across the world. While serving the UN flag, 171 of our bravest lost their lives. Their ultimate sacrifice reflects the highest level of commitment to the UN Charter and its call to save the world from the scourge of war.
(Source: Pakistani Mission to the United Nations)
