The men and women who have served the nation as United Nations peacekeepers will be honoured on Friday with Bendigo’s first commemorative service.
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Australia has had peacekeepers in the field with the United Nations continuously for over 50 years, stating with a deployment of military observers to Indonesia in 1947.
Bendigo District RSL sub-branch president Peter Swandale said peacekeeping was not only for those in the military.
“Since 1964 Australian police have served on Operations from Cyprus to Afghanistan and continue to serve on operations today,” he said.
Mr Swandale said peacekeeping was modernising.
“It is deploying new technologies such as unarmed, unmanned aerial vehicles, refining its practices to better protect civilians, and boosting the representation of women among its ranks while strengthening its partnerships with regional organisations,” he said.
“Currently, UN Peacekeeping operations receive contributions of military and police personnel from 122 member states.
“This impressive number reflects strong global confidence in the value of United Nations peacekeeping as a tool for collective security.”
The Commemorative Service will be held in the Memorabilia Garden of the Bendigo District RSL Complex, 73-75 Havilah Road, Bendigo on Friday September, 2018 at 5pm.
A pre-service gathering will commence at 4pm and there will be live entertainment and refreshments at the conclusion of the service.
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