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By Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General
(For more than 50 years, the Philippines has
sent hundreds of troops overseas for peacekeeping in fulfillment of
its international obligations. From South Korea in the 1950s to
Timor Leste in the ‘00’ decade, Filipino soldiers and police
officers, under the auspices of the United Nations, have taken part
in humanitarian missions to keep the peace and to help rebuild in
formerly war-torn countries. We pay them tribute on this day, the
60th year of UN peacekeeping.)
This year, the annual International Day of UN
Peacekeepers also marks the 60th anniversary of UN peacekeeping. Six
decades ago today, the Security Council established our first
peacekeeping mission. Most of the peacekeepers came from a handful
of European and American countries and they were mostly unarmed
military men observing and monitoring cease-fire lines.
Since then, peacekeeping has developed into a
flagship enterprise of our Organization. Today, we have more than
110,000 men and women deployed in conflict zones around the world.
They come from nearly 120 countries—an all-time high, reflecting
confidence in United Nations peacekeeping. They come from nations
large and small, rich and poor—some of them countries recently
afflicted by war themselves. They bring different cultures and
experiences to the job, but they are united in their determination
to foster peace. Some are in uniform but many are civilians and
their activities go far beyond monitoring.
They train police, disarm ex-combatants, support
elections and help build State institutions. They build bridges,
repair schools, assist flood victims and protect women from sexual
violence. They uphold human rights and promote gender equality.
Thanks to their efforts, life-saving humanitarian assistance can be
delivered and economic development can begin.
In the past year, I have visited
peacekeepers in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean. I
have seen refugees returning home, children heading back to school,
citizens once again secure under the rule of law. I have seen whole
societies moving, with the help of the peacekeepers, from
devastation to rejuvenation. In Haiti, in Liberia, in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo the blue helmets have provided breathing space
for a fragile peace to take hold.
We could not do this job without our partners in
regional organizations. The African Union and the UN are deploying
our first hybrid force in Darfur. And we are working with the
European Union in neighbouring Chad and the Central African
Republic.
More than half of all our Member States
contribute troops and police to peacekeeping operations. We are
grateful to every one of them. Our special thanks go to the top
contributors: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Nepal.
Together, these nations of the south contribute nearly half of the
UN’s peacekeepers.
This anniversary is an occasion to celebrate,
but also to mourn our fallen colleagues. Over these six decades,
more than two thousand and four hundred men and women have died
serving the cause of peace. Just last year alone, we lost 87 brave
individuals.
Each one is a hero. Today, we recommit ourselves
to ensuring that their sacrifices are never forgotten, and the vital
work of the blue helmets continues as long as they are needed.
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