A moment of silence for the fourteen members of the Burundian contingent who were killed in Somalia in February 2009
In commemoration of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Bujumbura co-organized with the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) a photo exhibition on Burundi's participation in UN and African Union peacekeeping operations in Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, Somalia and Sudan. The exhibit took place on UNIC Bujumbura's premises on 29 May 2009. The photo exhibition illustrated the participation of Burundian women in peacekeeping operations and the photos were obtained by UNIC Bujumbura from the National Army and the Police.
Prior to launching the exhibition, an official ceremony was held in the UNIC's conference room and included a speech on behalf of the UN System in Burundi made by the Deputy Executive Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Burundi, Ms. Bintou Keita. The official opening speech on behalf of the Government was made by the Chef de Cabinet in the Ministry of National Defense and Former Combatants. He emphasized that Burundi will not stop contributing the troops for peacekeeping, recalling the presence of Burundian military and police troops in Sudan, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad and Somalia. He also called for a moment of silence in memory of the fourteen members of the Burundian contingent who were killed in Somalia in February 2009.
A former peacekeeper spoke of his experiences as a peacekeeper in Darfur and showed videos of his activities in Darfur. UNIC Bujumbura also screened the film entitled, “Women in Peacekeeping: the Power to Empower.”
As part of the ceremony, three soldiers performed a song in the Kirundi language, in praise of the United Nations role in bringing peace in the world and the government of Burundi for its participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
Approximately one hundred people participated in the commemoration among them representatives of the Government, diplomatic corps, national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), military and police corps, and heads of UN agencies.
View film "Women in Peacekeeping: the Power to Empower" on the United Nations channel on YouTube