The United Nations held an online ceremony on June 6 to honor the 336 peacekeepers, police and United Nations civilian personnel who died in the line of duty in 2020.
The number of United Nations personnel killed in the line of duty in 2020 was the highest in history. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a video address paying tribute to the military, police and U.N. civilian personnel who died in 2020 from malicious attacks, natural disasters and the coronavirus outbreak.
Guterres said the people who died in the line of duty came from more than 80 countries, confirming the diversity and richness of the United Nations.
They have dedicated their careers to the defence and practice of the vision and values of the United Nations, reflecting the “essence of multilateralism”, in which people from all over the world join forces to build a better world. “We are committed to continuing their unfinished business by inheriting their legacy.”
