The United Nations on Thursday held a solemn ceremony to posthumously honor 57 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers from 32 countries who lost their lives last year while serving in peacekeeping missions around the world. The event was organized to mark the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
Pakistani peacekeepers Sepoy Muhammad Tariq and Havaldar Ahsanullah Khan were among those awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal posthumously. Both had served with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
UN Secretary-General António Guterres presided over the ceremony held at the Trusteeship Council Chamber at UN Headquarters in New York, where he paid tribute to the fallen personnel. The medals were received by the ambassadors of the respective countries. For the deceased civilian personnel, the medals were accepted on behalf of their families by Atul Khare, UN Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, and the mission’s Military Adviser, Colonel Umar Shafiq, attended the ceremony and accepted the medals on behalf of the fallen Pakistani peacekeepers alongside other diplomats and military officials.
The event also recognized excellence in service by presenting the 2024 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award to Squadron Leader Sharon Munsoat Syme of Ghana, and the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year Award to Superintendent Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone—both of whom are also serving in the UNISFA mission.
The UN’s first peacekeeping mission was launched in 1948. Today, over 68,000 military, police, and civilian personnel serve in 11 peacekeeping operations across various regions of the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Pakistan is the fifth-largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping missions. Currently, more than 2,800 Pakistani military and police officers are serving in missions in Abyei, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cyprus, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.
This international day is observed to honor the selfless service and sacrifices of peacekeepers and to remember the over 4,400 “Blue Helmets” who have given their lives in the cause of peace over the past 77 years—including 57 in 2024 alone.
This year’s theme, “Fit for the Future: Building Better Together,” focuses on the future of UN peace operations. Secretary-General Guterres noted that peacekeepers today face complex challenges in an increasingly divided world.
