Luanda - Diplomats from the Permanent Mission of Angola to the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday attended the annual celebration of the United Nations International Day of Peacekeepers.
Organized by the United Nations information service in Geneva in collaboration with the international association of peacekeepers, the event took place at the United Nations memorial at Ariana Park, under the theme “Peace begins with me”.
The ceremony paid tribute to “the dedication, courage and great professionalism of the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations,” as well as honouring the memory of those who lost their lives in defence of peace.
The moment was marked by statements by the Director-General of the UN office in Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya, the president of the International Association of Peacekeepers, Laurent Attar-Bayrou, and the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, Mohammad Sufiur Rahman.
The celebrations of the International Day of the Blue Berets also known as “the agents of hope” mark one of the most important moments of the global campaign “Peace Begins with Me”, an initiative that illustrates the impact of UN peace operations and its partners.
Currently, more than 87,000 blue berets from 125 countries are part of 12 peacekeeping operations.
The UN's track record indicates that since 1948, blue berets have helped prevent conflict in various countries, protect civilians, promote political solutions, and support democratic processes by incorporating the promotion of human rights, capacity building of public institutions, and ensuring that women and youth lead and participate in peace and nation-building processes.