Director-General's remarks at the Commemoration of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
Tuesday, 3 June 2025, at 4.00 p.m.
UN Memorial, Ariana Park

Mr. Attar-Bayrou and members of the International Association of Peacekeepers,
Ambassador Antwi [Permanent Representative of Ghana],
Ambassador Grassi [Permanent Representative of Italy],
UN peacekeepers, 
Excellencies, 
Ladies and gentlemen, 
Dear colleagues, 

It is a great honour to join you today for the commemoration of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

United Nations peacekeepers embody humanity’s highest ideal: peace. Every year, we come together to remember and honour more than 4,430 UN peacekeepers who have given their lives over decades in the name of peace.

We also pay tribute to over one million UN uniformed and civilian personnel who have served and continue to serve under the UN flag with selfless dedication in some of the most challenging places of the world.

I invite you all to join me in a minute of silence to remember those who have lost their lives in the service of peace. 

Minute of silence

Thank you.

Peacekeeping is one of the United Nations’ most vital and noble duties, grounded in our founding mission to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”.

Today, more than 76,000 uniformed and civilian personnel are deployed in 11 missions worldwide, working in some of the most volatile political and security environments. In the face of growing geopolitical tensions and increasingly complex conflicts, their engagement remains life-saving and transformative, from ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid and supporting elections, to rebuilding state institutions and helping guide countries from conflict toward lasting peace.

On behalf of the United Nations, I would like to express our sincere thanks to Ghana and Italy, represented today by Ambassador Antwi and Ambassador Grassi, for their contributions to United Nations peacekeeping.

I also wish to take this opportunity to extend our appreciation to our host country, Switzerland, represented by Major General Germaine Seewer today. Just a few days ago, on 21 May, the Swiss Federal Council took a landmark decision to increase its support to UN peacekeeping by raising the ceiling for its military personnel at UN Headquarters in New York from 9 to 25. This increase will expand Switzerland’s capacity to provide specialized expertise and operational support in key areas such as Security Sector Reform and Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration, all of which play a vital role in helping countries transition from conflict to lasting peace.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Since the establishment of the first UN peacekeeping mission in the Middle East in 1948, peacekeepers have helped restore peace and hope in over 70 operations worldwide.

Looking ahead, we must continue to adapt our peace operations to the evolving nature of conflict. This was the focus of the recent United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial held in Berlin earlier this month. There, over 130 Member States and partners reaffirmed their support and announced new and innovative pledges to strengthen the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping and keep it fit for purpose in a rapidly changing world.

Today, peacekeeping is about more than deploying Blue Helmets. It is about building resilient societies by supporting inclusive governance, safeguarding human rights, and enabling sustainable development. It means accompanying communities through processes of reconciliation and reintegration and addressing the root causes of violence.

Here in Geneva, the UN family contributes to this holistic approach every day. Through diplomacy, human rights, health, and humanitarian efforts, we address the deeper dimensions of conflict and support long-term peacebuilding. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

Since 1948, peacekeeping has been a collective endeavour, a global expression of solidarity, partnership, and hope. But peace is not simply the absence of war; it is the presence of justice, opportunity, and dignity for all. It is built not only upon ceasefires and mandates, but on trust, reconciliation, and human rights.

Today, let us reaffirm our commitment to supporting and strengthening this essential pillar of our multilateral system. In these difficult times, let us recommit to building peace worldwide, together, for present and future generations.

Thank you.