Lima, Peru – In view of their distinguished careers, and at the behest of retired Brig. Gen. Oswaldo Castillo Uribe, UPF-Peru appointed dozens of veterans as Ambassadors for Peace in a special ceremony on July 25, 2023. The event was held at the headquarters of the Associatión of Comandos of Perú (ASCOMPE) in Lima.
Mr. Jaime Fernandez, secretary general of UPF-Peru, presented the award to 45 veterans. An additional 30 will later be awarded with Ambassador for Peace certificates. During the meeting Mr. Fernandez also gave a presentation on the “Principles of Peace” and showed a video about UPF International.
Many of the veterans served in the Sinai in Egypt in the 1950s or 60s, as part of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF), the UN’s first peacekeeping force. Some of them were injured; some of their compatriots died during this period. Later, some of them served as part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) stationed to monitor the truce between Syria and Israel in the Golan Heights. The Peruvian contingent was made up of 497 peacekeepers. The Peruvian and Austrian battalions were the first troops to arrive, and had to conduct operations in heavily mined areas. Several soldiers suffered casualties.
The Peruvian people are pacifist by nature and tradition, and the Peruvian government is humanist. It is thus not surprising that they were among the first to volunteer in international efforts to preserve peace. It was therefore fitting that UPF-Peru recognize the contributions of these elderly veterans as Ambassadors for Peace.
