Baroness Valerie Amos, in her capacity as United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, delivered the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Lecture at the 9th annual conference to mark the International Day of UN peacekeepers, in London on 29 May 2012.
Baroness Amos used the lecture to call for continued integration between key UN humanitarian and peacekeeping organs in order to foster a coherent response to the protection of civilians, the restoration of security and to the support of peace-building. The talk built on earlier remarks given by former Secretary of State for International Development, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, and Dr Victoria Metcalfe, Research Fellow at the Overseas Development Institute.
Organised by UNA-UK, UNA Westminster branch and the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), this annual event comprises a one-day conference and a ceremony on London’s Whitehall. This year, Ms Natalie Samarasinghe – representing UNA-UK – joined diplomatic and military representatives from around the world, UN veterans, widows and schoolchildren in laying wreaths at the WWII memorial on Whitehall in memory of all women who have given service as peacekeepers.
