International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
Worldwide, 29 May 2012
Hosts / Sponsors: United Nations
29 May is the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. The theme this year is a celebration of global partnerships, which include Member States, the UN Secretariat, host countries, regional organizations and UN partners — all working to bring peace and security to some of the world’s most troubled areas.
The day has two purposes: to honour the memory of the UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace and to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in UN Peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage.
UN Peacekeeping has been developed to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for lasting peace since the first mission was established in May 1948. There have been a total of 67 UN peacekeeping operations. Currently, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, with the support of the Department of Field Support, manages 17 operations deployed across five continents. These operations comprise more than 121,000 deployed military, police and civilian personnel.
Who provides peacekeepers? The UN has no standing army or police force of its own, and Member States are asked to contribute military and police personnel required for each operation. Peacekeepers wear their countries’ uniform and are identified as UN Peacekeepers only by a UN blue helmet or beret and a badge.
There are three basic principles that continue to set UN Peacekeeping operations apart as a tool for maintaining international peace and security. These three principles are inter-related and mutually reinforcing: consent of the parties; impartiality; non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate.
How much does peacekeeping cost? While decisions about establishing, maintaining or expanding a peacekeeping operation are taken by the Security Council, the financing of UN Peacekeeping operations is the collective responsibility of all UN Member States.
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