CCOPAB celebrates International Day of UN Peacekeepers
On May 30, the International Day of the United Nations Peacekeepers was celebrated at the Brazilian Peace Operations Joint Training Center (CCOPAB, acronym in Portuguese). A tribute was paid to all peacekeepers - military, police and civilian personnel -, who under the aegis of the UN, participated in missions to keep peace overseas.
The following guests attended the ceremony:
Lieutenant General André Luiz Novaes Miranda, Director of the Department of High Military Education;
Lieutenant General Antônio Manoel de Barros, Commander of the 1st Army Division;
Mrs. Linda Temoltzin, Mexico General Consul;
Mr. Igor Golubev, Russia Consul;
Mr. Rufolf Wyss, Swiss Consul;
Mrs. Lourdes Brítez, Paraguay Consul;
Captain (Navy) Volker Martin, German Attaché;
Mr. Jonathan Mermis-Cava, representative of the American Consulate;
Mr. Maurizio Giuliano, Director of the United Nations Information Center in Rio;
Mrs. Najla Nassif, Military Justice Prosecutor;
Mrs. Eduarda Hamann, from Igarapé Institute;
Mr. Wanderlei Braga, President of the Association of the Members of Suez Battalion;
Mr. Jorge Rangel, President of the Former Members of the Brazilian Detachment in the Peace Interamerican Force;
Mrs. Gabrielle Guimarães, Representative of the Coordination for Foreign Relations of Rio de Janeiro;
Mr. Eduardo Prisco, Representative from Itamaraty Palace; and
Mr. André Simões de Oliveira, nephew of Sergio Vieira de Mello, CCOPAB’s patron.
The ceremony started with a tribute for the Brazilian peacekeepers who fell while serving the United Nations, throughout the 70 years of Brazil participation in peace operations. A flower wreath was laid in Haiti Memorial by General Novaes along with General Barros, Mr. Wanderley Braga, Mr. André Simões de Oliveira and Colonel Machado, CCOPAB’s Commander.
Former Members of the Brazilian Detachment in the Peace Interamerican Force and former components of other peace operations, in which Brazil participated, were present in the celebration as well. Following the reading of the Order of the Day addressing the event, a parade of Peacekeepers in honor of the event took place at the patio of the Center, under the command of Military Police Colonel Nogueira, the most senior peacekeeper attending the ceremony.
TRANSLATION: CPT CAMILA PAIVA
