May 29 Is International Day of UN Peacekeepers

May 29 is International Day of UN Peacekeepers, established in 2002 by the United Nations General Assembly.

The date commemorates what the UN has done in various countries to reconcile warring parties and minimize casualties. The first peacekeeping mission was established by the UN Security Council in 1948.

Throughout the history of UN peacekeeping, more than four thousand Blue Helmets have given their lives in the cause of peace.

On this day, the Secretary-General holds a wreath-laying ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York in memory of peacekeepers who have died carrying out their duties under the UN flag.

As you may recall, in 2016, CSTO peacekeeping forces conducted their first exercise under UN standards and supervision in the Republic of Belarus. On November 21, 2022, during the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, Resolution 77/13 on Cooperation between the United Nations and the Collective Security Treaty Organization was adopted. The resolution notes that the CSTO has significant resources for UN peacekeeping operations.