The Secretary-General awarded posthumously Dag Hammarskjold medal to peacekeepers who lost their lives in 2021

31 May 2022

The Secretary-General awarded posthumously Dag Hammarskjold medal to peacekeepers who lost their lives in 2021

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, 29 May, offers a chance to pay tribute to the uniformed and civilian personnel's invaluable contribution to the work of the Organization and to honour nearly 4,200 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948, including 135 last year.

The theme for this year's Day is "People. Peace. Progress. The Power of Partnerships."

Peacekeeping has helped save countless lives and brought peace and stability to many countries over the decades. But UN peacekeeping cannot fully succeed on its own in creating the necessary conditions to end conflict and secure lasting political solutions. It's partnerships with Member States, civil society, non-governmental organizations, UN agencies and other parties are fundamental to bringing tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary people, in areas such as economic development, the rule of law, women's rights, human rights, health and education.

Since 1948, more than 1 million women and men have served in 72 UN peacekeeping operations, directly impacting the lives of millions of people and saving countless lives. Today, UN Peacekeeping deploys more than 87,000 military, police and civilian personnel in 12 operations.

On  26 May, the Secretary-General layed a wreath in honour of all peacekeepers who have lost their lives while serving under the UN flag over the past seven decades.

A virtual ceremony was held at which the Dag Hammarskjold medal was awarded posthumously to peacekeepers who lost their lives in 2021.