Peacekeepers, Veterans, Military Personnel, Elected Officials, Distinguished Guests, Students, Ladies and Gentlemen: WELCOME. We the members of the Cobequid Veterans Memorial Park Society and the people of Bass River and surrounding Communities are honored that you have joined us for the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.. here at the Veterans Memorial Park. The INTERNATIONAL DAY OF UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPERS was established by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 57/129 in 2002. This day is intended to pay tribute to “all men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.”

International Peacekeeping as a point of national pride was a Canadian Initiative. Former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, then the Minister of External Affairs won the 1957 Nobel Peace prize for his pioneering vision, the creation of a multinational armed force, “A United Nations Force under the command of another Canadian: Lieutenant General Tommy Burns to help prevent the Suez Crisis from escalating into a global confrontation, and International Peacekeeping began.

In the past 60 years, more than 125,000 Canadian men and women have served in dozens of International peace missions to more than 35 countries. UN Forces deployed to areas in conflict help reduce tensions, protect the innocent and improve the chances of peaceful settlement. Peacekeeping is a complex, precarious and dangerous process. The peacekeepers COMBAT and CONTACT skills, although opposite, must be equivalent. Their lives and the lives of others depend on these skills and their ability to use whichever is necessary at any given time.

It is daunting for a civilian to speak to soldiers about peace; about courage; sacrifice. Soldiers exemplify these admirable virtues. For civilians, however, these virtues are untested … and lie dormant, if at all….in our un-exceptional but privileged peaceful lives…lives over-flowing with freedoms fought for and won by soldiers.

Peace, it is said, is humanities highest endeavor.

Most of us know intuitively; That while others suffer, there will be no peace.

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: “While there is injustice anywhere, there is injustice everywhere.” But what some of us know intuitively, soldiers know by sight and sound, smell and taste and bitter memory.

Our recorded history, would seem to dictate that peace as a human endeavor is an exercise in futility. We seem intent on destroying ourselves and the planet on which we live.

After countless conflicts and monstrous atrocities, the War to end all Wars, the Second World War and the Holocaust, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Darfur, Somalia, Afghanistan, the Sudan, to name a very few.

Peace seems no more likely now than when history began, after so many individual sacrifices, still sacrificing.

Peace, it appears, cannot be commanded.

Peace, the highest human endeavor, it seems cannot be successfully pursued, it must, therefore, ensue; and it does so only as the intended side effect of countless individuals, personally dedicating themselves to Peace and Peacekeeping, a cause greater than self.

Most of us, when faced with the choice of moral duty beyond self, which is very costly and dangerous, will argue themselves away from moral duty opting instead for self preservation, it is our nature.

Evil, therefore, is free to do its work, safe in the knowledge that most of us will lay low and do nothing. Evil needs apathy and humans provide it amply. BUT some of us will chose to stand, some of us will chose service over self preservation. These people cannot be forced to do so … they do not need to be. They take on responsibilities beyond themselves, beyond their own lives. People who believe that it is up to each individual to help others, even by the pain and suffering of their own lives. People who believe that it is up to each individual to help others even by the pain and suffering of their own bodies. We call these people Peacekeepers.

As civilians, we often believe we are powerless and can do nothing. Some of us are apathetic and lazy. We believe we are entitled to a good life, to wealth and security, to peace in our land.

Surely we can place our trust in the sacrifices of the past, hoping that that sacrifice would be enough, God knows it should be.

Let the rest of the world take care of itself … what concern is it of ours really? Leave decisions to the governments, leave the environment to the environmentalists, leave the hungry and sick to the aid organizations and leave peace to the Peacekeepers.

But, it is not that simple:

Peacekeeping supports a peace process, but it is not the peace process. We all have a responsibility for the peace process. Suffering half a world away, is our concern. There are people in this world who need to be protected; the weak, the young, the elderly, the infirm, the downtrodden, the persecuted and the oppressed.

Injustice anywhere, is injustice everywhere … and while others suffer there will be no peace.

We all can make a difference. Many of us have forgotten this. Yes, the world is in quite a state but how much more so unless each one of us does our part?

The human spirit, at its best, always holds the potential for hope. Our best hope, for peace is reaching out for relationships, beyond ourselves, to help end the suffering of others. Each of us have tremendous potential, if we find the courage to speak out for those who cannot speak, to act on behalf of others powerless to act … to give of ourselves, our time, our resources, our humanity.

What greater incentive than peace, to make responsible choices; choices that may not lead to the greatest profit, or the greatest acclaim. Choices that will however bring us to the path to peace, a path that is also our responsibility.

Peace – the highest human endeavor, the key to our survival, the answer to humanities search for meaning, responsibility beyond self.

Peace – takes courage. Look around you, you are in the midst of that courage today.

The face of peace is the face of our Peacekeepers … men and women standing all over the world, standing for the highest of human endeavors, peace. Standing where often there is not much peace to keep. Standing not for our freedom, but for the freedom of people we do not know but they have come to know. Standing for justice, not for us, but for others. Taking responsibility to end the suffering of others, beyond self, facing foes, we have not even heard of, not for peace in our land but for peace in their land, peace for others, beyond self.

It has been said that the most important weapon is the heart of the warrior. In this regard Canadians can be very proud. For the hearts of the men and women who are Canada’s Peacekeepers, our ambassadors to the world … are and have been men and women of strength and compassion, hope and courage, valor and sacrifice. On the ground Canadian soldiers are known for their skills in protecting the innocent and for their humanity, while on the job and most notably for their after hour humanitarian efforts fueled by human emotion and compassion; in helping those they have come to know, unofficial adoptions of the homeless, the rebuilding of schools and hospitals, medical aid, toys for children among countless others.

Peacekeeping supports a peace process but it is not a peace process. We are all a part of the peace process. Peace cannot be pursued, it must ensue. Peace cannot be commanded, it is a consequence of responsibility beyond self, the responsibility of all for the good of all. It is not a dream, it is the mission of our Peacekeepers, men and women who will pay for peace with the suffering of their own bodies. For peace, a lasting peace. And, it is our mission to assist them.

Thank you all.