UN staff recently gathered together throughout Sudan on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers (29 May) to celebrate the work of over 110,000 UN peacekeepers in 20 peacekeeping missions worldwide.

UN staff recently gathered together throughout Sudan on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers (29 May) to celebrate the work of over 110,000 UN peacekeepers in 20 peacekeeping missions worldwide.

In a message read out in Khartoum by Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ashraf Qazi, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that this year the Day also marked the 60th anniversary of UN peacekeeping.

"Six decades ago, the Security Council established our first peacekeeping mission," the Secretary-General said. "Most of the peacekeepers came from a handful of European and American countries ... they were mostly unarmed military men observing and monitoring cease-fire lines."

Adding that the anniversary was also an occasion to mourn fallen colleagues, Mr. Ban said, "Over these six decades, more than 2,400 men and women have died serving the cause of peace ... Just last year alone, we lost 87 brave individuals."

The Khartoum gathering observed two minutes of silence for those who had died since the first peacekeeping operation - the UN Truce Supervision Organization - began in Palestine in 1948.

Similar ceremonies took place in Juba, Malakal, Kadugli, Wau, and Ed Damazin, where crowds of UN staff, government officials, diplomats and military commanders were also entertained with military parades, cultural displays, local music, traditional dances, and sports events.

Addressing the ceremony in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal State Governor Gen. Marco Nyipouch Ubong praised UN peacekeepers not only for peacekeeping activities but for vital projects they had carried out in the state. "In particular, they have repaired and maintained Wau Airstrip, renovated the air terminal, cleared mines and constructed roads."

The UN was also assisting the local population with medical treatment, road and air transport as well as creating job opportunities, the Governor said. Drawing attention to recent hostilities in Abyei, he appealed to UN agencies to support the hundreds of displaced persons who were now flocking to Wau.

In Malakal area, UNMIS' Indian Contingent organized a free medical camp at Phom el Zeraf, where six doctors, a nurse and 13 paramedics treated some 720 patients. The Indians also set up a free veterinary camp at Dangarshufu, treating almost 2,000 cattle for various ailments, including parasites, infectious diseases, skin infections and wounds.

Currently, some 9,278 military peacekeepers and 657 police officers serve at UNMIS. In addition, more than 2,460 Sudanese and 950 international civilians, including 208 UN Volunteers, from 109 countries are employed in the mission.