NEW YORK. 1st May 2023. (WAM). A new photo exhibition on UN Peacekeeping was opened Monday at the Headquarters, honoring the service of civilian and uniformed peacekeepers, as well as their sacrifices, on its 75th Anniversary.

“For 75 years, UN Peacekeeping has helped to end conflict, protect civilians, advance political solutions, and secure sustainable peace,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations.

He said that peacekeepers were ordinary people who worked in dangerous and difficult conditions to bring extraordinary results for the communities they served. “Their efforts to assist countries navigate the difficult transition from war to peace are visible in countries such as Liberia and Namibia. They can also be seen in Cambodia, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste.

The exhibit “Peace Begins with Me”, part of a global year-long campaign, aims to show the impact that UN peacekeeping operations and their partners have on millions of people who are caught in catastrophic conflicts.

The images, which include a carefully curated collection of peacekeepers, document the diverse and complex work that peacekeeping personnel perform in some of the most delicate political and security situations in the world.

The UN chief of peacekeeping said, “We are not on our own in our efforts.” Many partners are working with us to achieve peace. These include local communities, women, youth, the civil society, humanitarians and host governments. They also include countries that provide troops and police and member states. We thank them all for their commitment to peacekeeping throughout history and encourage them to continue this commitment, as the challenges are greater than ever.”