The UK Government has responded to UNA-UK's petition asking for official recognition of UN peacekeepers.
In the letter of reply the Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said that after consulting with the Ministry of Defence, the UK Government believes that British personnel who serve on UN peacekeeping missions are already recognised through existing procedures, such as UN medals and the UK's honours and awards system. She added that all those who have lost their lives whilst in the service of the UK, including British peacekeepers, are commemorated at the Armed Forces Memorial in the National Memorial Arboretum.
While UNA-UK appreciates that members of the Armed Forces can receive awards from both the UN and the UK, there are still no medals or honours that specifically acknowledge the contribution of military, civilian and police personnel to peacekeeping missions. Canada and Ireland both have national peacekeeping medals, while civilian peacekeepers are so far not officially recognised in awards from the UN.
UNA-UK is delighted to have received over 450 signatures to our petition, including parliamentarians, former UK diplomats and British UN civil servants.
UNA-UK remains eager to ensure that British UN peacekeepers receive the commemoration and gratitude they so highly deserve and will continue to campaign on this issue in the future.
