The United Nations will observe the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on June 5, paying tribute to peacekeepers serving in missions worldwide and honouring those who lost their lives in the pursuit of peace.
At a ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres will lay a wreath in memory of nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have died in service since 1948. He will also posthumously award the prestigious Dag Hammarskjöld Medal to 68 military, police and civilian peacekeepers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
Among those to be honoured are six Bangladeshi peacekeepers who were killed in a drone strike on December 13, 2025, while serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei. The fallen peacekeepers are Pvt Md Jahangir Alam, Pvt Md Sobuj Mia, Cpl Md Masud Rana, Pvt Md Mominul Islam, Pvt Shamim Reza and Pvt Santo Mondol.
Bangladesh remains one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations and is currently the fourth-largest provider of uniformed personnel. More than 4,000 Bangladeshi military and police personnel, including 277 women, are deployed in UN missions across Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Libya, South Sudan and Western Sahara.
This year’s theme, “Invest in Peace,” highlights the importance of sustained political and financial support for UN peacekeeping operations at a time when missions face increasing challenges and resource constraints. The UN noted that peacekeeping remains one of the most effective tools available to the international community for preventing conflict escalation, protecting civilians, supporting political solutions and facilitating humanitarian assistance.
In a message marking the occasion, Guterres said that attacks on peacekeepers constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and stressed that member states must ensure the safety and security of UN personnel. He also emphasized that peacekeeping is a proven and cost-effective means of restoring stability and hope in conflict-affected regions.
The Secretary-General will additionally present the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage, the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year Award and the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award during the June 5 ceremony.
The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2002 and is observed annually on May 29, commemorating the establishment of the first UN peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, in the Middle East in 1948.
More than 50,000 civilian, military and police personnel currently serve under the UN flag in 11 peacekeeping missions around the world, representing contributions from 118 countries.
