Jaishankar hails UN Peacekeepers for their Resilience

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar lauded the United Nations Peacekeepers for their commitment towards preserving peace and security and saluted them for their courage and dedication. 

The External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar praised the Peacemakers of the United Nations across the globe on the occasion of the 75th International Day of UN Peacekeepers, celebrated as an opportunity to recognise and appreciate the selfless service and sacrifice of more than a million personnel who have been serving the UN since decades. 

Mr Jaishankar took to Twitter to express his opinion and thank the UN Peacekeepers for their many sacrifices over the years to help a massive number of civilians and maintain peace and security around the world. He also paid respect by saluting the courage, determination and commitment of the Peacemakers in changing the miserable lives of people affected by life-threatening conditions like political turmoil, environmental depredations etc.

UN Peacekeepers Day

Peace is the primary prerequisite for the sustenance and progress of Humankind as well as the survival of human institutions and natural ecosystems. War, on the contrary, brings wanton destruction to the lives of affected people and damages the environmental and geographical landscape on a very large scale. The damages inflicted on people leave an indelible mark in their minds and damage the nation’s collective sense of hope. 

Amid conditions of global turmoil, Peacekeeping is one of the many objectives that the United Nations seek to fulfill to secure global peace and security. 

Being a collective enterprise, the UN’s civilian and uniformed personnel negotiate with critical security threats amid dangerous situations, support ceasefires, and prevent and respond to violence as part of their peacekeeping mission, often several of them losing their lives amid crisis.

‘Peace Begins with Me’ Campaign

The first UN Peacekeeping mission commenced in the Middle East during the year 1948. This year marks the 75th year of UN Peacekeeping  Theme of International UN Peacekeepers Day 2024 is ‘Peace Begins With Me’ which recognises the services and sacrifices of Peacekeepers, Past and Present, including those 4200 who lost their lives serving the UN flag. It pays homage to the resilience of those communities whom the Peacekeepers serve and who continue to strive for peace and stability despite many obstacles.

The main aim of Peacekeepers is to prevent conflict, protect civilians, expedite political solutions, and preserve democratic institutions and processes. They advocate Human Rights and ensure that a fair chance is provided to women and youth of the nations as participants in peacekeeping and nation-building.

Peacekeeping is a unique endeavor of multilateralism and global solidarity. It seeks to bring together nations uniting for a single cause of maintaining peace and harmony in the world. By securing political solutions that lead to sustainable peace UN Peacekeepers serve as catalysts in nation-building.

Peacekeepers the ‘beating heart of UN’s commitment: Guterres

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gave his remarks on the Peacekeeping day, saying that UN Peacekeepers are the ‘beating heart’ of the UN’s commitment to a more peaceful world. He said that UN Peacekeepers have for 75 years supported and saved the people rocked by conflict and upheaval across the world.

 The UN Chief stated that they stand in sympathy and solidarity with the families of 4200 peacekeepers who have succumbed while fulfilling the UN’s mission of peacebuilding. He also said that, today around 87000 peacekeepers from 125 different countries serve in 12 Operations.

Indian Army pay tribute to the fallen comrades

The Indian Army also commemorated the 75th Peacekeepers Day by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial today, according to a statement by the Ministry of Defence. The Chief of Army Staff Gen Manoj Pande, Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gn. MV Suchindra Kumar and other representatives across various Ministries paid their tribute to the fallen comrades who sacrificed their lives for the upkeep of national peace and security. 

According to an official release by the Defence Ministry, 159 Indian Army soldiers have made the supreme sacrifice to maintain peace throughout the globe. ‘India has a rich historical legacy of cooperating and assisting the UN Peacekeeping operations and remains one of the largest contributors of troops’. 

India has remained an active contributor to the UN’s peacekeeping mission and Indian soldiers have time and again displayed exemplary valor to safeguard the interests of citizens.