A draft resolution piloted by India proposing the establishment of a memorial wall to honour the memory of the fallen peacekeepers in the United Nations headquarters has been adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.
The draft resolution which was titled ‘Memorial wall for fallen United Nations peacekeepers’ was presented by Ruchira Kamboj, the permanent representative of India to the UN Ambassador, in the United Nations General Assembly hall on Wednesday. Almost 190 United Nations member states co-sponsored the resolution. The resolution was adopted by consensus.
The initiative of the UN member states to allocate a suitable and prominent place at the UN headquarters in New York, a Memorial wall in honour of the peacekeepers who sacrificed their life, was welcomed. Due consideration of the modalities involved will be taken care of, which also includes charting the record of the names of those who had laid their lives.
While presenting the resolution at the UNGA, Ms Kamboj stated that the memorial wall will serve as proof of the value and the significance placed by the UN on peacekeeping. She added that it will not only serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the fallen but also be a reminder of the price of the decisions that are made.
18 countries, which includes India, Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Indonesia, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Jordan, Rwanda, the United States and France submitted the resolution. The resolution prescribes that the memorial wall should be completed within three years of its adoption.
In 2015, a virtual memorial wall was set up by the permanent mission of India to the United Nations. The virtual memorial wall was launched in memory of the Indian troops who made the sacrifice while in active service of the UN peacekeeping force. This served as a precursor to the eventual launching of the Peacekeepers Memorial Wall.
India had proposed that the launching of a memorial wall would be a befitting way to honour and pay homage to all the troops from the UN member states who laid down their lives while performing their duties under the Blue Flag of the United Nations.
While addressing the leader’s summit on peacekeeping at the UN headquarters in September 2015, during the high-level General Assembly week, hosted by former US President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, commemorated the peacekeepers, who made the supreme sacrifice of giving their lives while protecting and defending the highest ideals of the UN.
During his address PM Modi had said that it would be most appropriate if the Memorial wall dedicated to the fallen peacekeepers is constructed quickly and that India stands ready to make contributions, including financial ones, towards the said objective.
PM Modi expressed gratitude towards the countries for their support of the resolution
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude to the countries for supporting the UNGA resolution.
The prime minister took to Twitter and wrote that he was delighted that the resolution to construct a new memorial wall for fallen peacekeepers, which was introduced by India, has been adopted in the United Nations General Assembly. He stated that the resolution has received a record of 190 co-sponsorships and that he is thankful for all the support received.
