This comes as the UN community celebrates the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
The day has two purposes:
- to honour the memory of the UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace;
- to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in UN Peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage.
UN Peacekeepers are, like all of us, not perfect. It has been noted that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)" is empirically verifiable.
UN Peacekeepers have violated their trust at times. Peacekeeping operations have been given inadequate mandates, provided insufficient equipment at times, and received inappropriate leadership.
Yet, women and men from around the world still put themselves in harm's way to preserve the peace and protect the people in places around the world.
We give thanks for those people who serve in peacekeeping missions. We remember for those peacekeepers who have fallen in those missions. We pray for those peacekeepers who were attacked today.
About the photo: Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro offers a wreath during a solemn wreath-laying ceremony in honour of all fallen peacekeepers in the United Nations Visitors Lobby. Photo is by UN Photo/Evan Schneider.