KATHMANDU, May 26: UN Headquarters observed the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers and marked the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping on Thursday.

During formal ceremonies at United Nations Headquarters, Secretary-General, António Guterres, laid a wreath to honor the more than 4,200 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948. He also presided over a ceremony in the General Assembly Hall at which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals will be awarded posthumously to 103 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives serving under the UN flag last year.

Among the peacekeepers who were honored posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold medal two were from Nepal:  Private Anil Gurung who served with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); and SGT Pashupati Karki who served with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Nepal is currently the 2nd largest contributor to UN peace operations with more than 6,200 military and police personnel serving in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mali, the Middle East, Sudan, South Sudan, the Western Sahara, and Yemen.

On the occasion, the Secretary-General said, “United Nations peacekeepers are the beating heart of our commitment to a more peaceful world. For 75 years, they have supported people and communities rocked by conflict and upheaval across the globe. Today, on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, we honor their extraordinary contributions to international peace and security.”  

 
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