NEW YORK - In various locations around the world today, from urban metropolises to remote townships, the United Nations is marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

The Day has two purposes: to honour the memory of the UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace, and to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in UN peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage.

A particular feature of the day will be remembrance services – since the first UN peacekeeping mission was established in 1948, more than 3,100 military, police and civilian personnel have lost their lives in the service of peace as a result of acts of violence, accidents and disease. One hundred and eleven peacekeeping personnel died last year.

“We salute their bravery and mourn their passing,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon states in his message for the Day. “Let us pay solemn tribute to those who have fallen, support the more than 111,000 serving soldiers and police from 116 countries, and continue adapting our operations to better help civilians who need protection and support.”

At UN Headquarters in New York, the Secretary-General will today preside over a wreath-laying ceremony in honour of all peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the UN flag.

The theme of this year’s observance is ‘Adapting to New Challenges,’ reflecting the rapid changes that international peace and security needs are undergoing. According to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), in light of these changes, UN peacekeeping is being given new mandates to meet new challenges.

For example, it is being asked to deploy in new operating environments such as Mali, a vast desert nation where international terrorists continue to threaten national sovereignty and local people. In response, it is developing innovative approaches to get the job done in the most challenging conditions. Examples of this include the deployment of an ‘Intervention Brigade’ and the use of ‘Unarmed Aerial Vehicles’ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), another vast African nation, where access and distances are particularly challenging in dealing with violence.

In his message, Mr. Ban further notes that in addition to UN peacekeeping adapting its policies to better fulfill its mandates in countries such as Mali and the DRC, it is working to help reform national rule of law institutions.

“By strengthening the police, courts, and corrections, UN peacekeeping forges trust in local authorities,” he adds. “A fair and predictable rule of law system contributes, in turn, to stability and sustainable development long after our troops leave.”

DPKO currently oversees 15 peacekeeping operations as well as one special political mission – the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). At the core of UNAMA’s mandate, which was renewed by the UN Security Council in March for another year, is support, at the request of the Afghan authorities, for the organization of future elections, and peace and reconciliation efforts as the country continues its political and security transition.