Since 1948, there have been 49 United Nations peacekeeping operations, of which 17 are currently under way. In these 50 years, the 'blue helmets', as UN peacekeepers are often called, have made headlines and been in the public eye, by turns honoured and vilified, commemorated and misrepresented.

One way or another, most students have probably heard of UN peacekeepers or the blue helmets but if someone were to ask what peacekeepers actually do or who sends them, how would the tudents respond?

How many are aware that while most UN peacekeepers have been soldiers, a UN peacekeeper might as easily be a civlian police officer, an electoral expert, a human rights monitor or a civilian working in any one of a number of fields, from law to logistics?

Do students understand terms like ceasefire, buffer zone, electoral assistance and national reconciliation--and how they relate to keeping the peace?

This project will introduce students to the many faces of UN peacekeeping and give students a chance to interact with peacekeepers and voice their opinions.

The official launch of the project will take place on 15 September 1998 at an event commemorating the International Day of Peace at United Nations Headquarters.

Credits: The site was designed by Digital Form and the teaching units were written in collaboration with the American Forum for Global Education.