Published on: 2026-06-05
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On Friday, events were held at the UN headquarters in New York on the occasion of International Day of Peacekeepers. UN Secretary-General António Guterres laid a wreath in memory of the blue helmets who died since 1948, when the first UN mission was established.
“Peacemakers continue to face dangers while defending peace, and we express to them our deepest gratitude for their service and dedication,” said the UN chief.
As of today, more than 50 thousand civilian, military, and police personnel serve under the UN flag in 11 missions. They are engaged in monitoring ceasefires, providing humanitarian aid, demining, and protecting the civilian population.
In almost 80 years of the existence of UN missions, nearly 4,500 peacekeepers have died in the line of duty. Last year, 59 people gave their lives for the cause of peace. All of them were posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal.
At a ceremony at the UN headquarters, Guterres presented the highest peacekeeping award – the Captain Mbaye Diagne medal for exceptional courage – to two servicemen who showed selflessness under conditions of great danger, one of them posthumously. The medal for him was received by his widow.
Sergey Prilodko, Ukraine – Captain Mbaye Diana’s Medal
A private contractor from Ukraine, part of the helicopter crew of the UN mission in South Sudan, Sergey Prilodko in March 2025 voluntarily replaced a less experienced colleague during the evacuation of surrounded servicemen in the state of Upper Nile.
The UN helicopter was fired upon despite security guarantees. One person was killed, two crew members were injured.
“Today, here with us are Sergey’s wife and daughter. I want you to know: during his service, Sergey helped save many lives. He died trying to save even more people. He will be long remembered by colleagues in South Sudan and the entire UN family,” said the Secretary-General.
Sergeant Matias Reyes, Uruguay – medal of captain Mbaye Diana
During fierce clashes between the armed forces of the DRC and the M23 group in January 2025, Sergeant Matias Reyes from Uruguay, serving in Goma as part of the UN peacekeeping mission, repeatedly evacuated wounded Congolese soldiers to shelters at the UN base under fire.
He saved 12 severely wounded servicemen, delivering them to the field medical point. Matias Reyes continues to serve under the UN flag in the DR Congo.
The medal for the sergeant, who could not attend the ceremony, was received by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the UN, Gabriela Gonzalez.
Awards for the defender of gender equality and woman police officer
The UN Secretary-General also presented the “Military Defender of Gender Equality” award to Major Abilash.ÂA hut from India and the “UN Policewoman of the Year” award to Inspector Stefanie Koenigs from Germany.
Barak is the interaction group commander and gender coordinator of the Indian battalion in South Lebanon. She integrates gender aspects into military operations and cooperation with the civilian population.
The major conducted large-scale work with five thousand women and girls, supporting education, professional development, and recovery after conflicts. Among her initiatives is the innovative platform Lebanon Gender Initiative, which uses artificial intelligence to enable victims of gender-based violence to confidentially report incidents.
Inspector Kénigs, who served as part of the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan from September 2024 to March 2026, implemented a new patrol system. It contributed to the development of early warning mechanisms and the adoption of effective decisions in crisis situations, as well as strengthened the trust of local communities in the UN mission.
Please note; This information is raw content, obtained directly from the information source. It represents an exact report of what the source claims, and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.