The Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association (CPVA) was founded in 1991 to be a strong and leading advocate for all Canadian Veterans and our objectives include helping to educate young people and promoting public awareness of Canadian Peacekeeping activities. The year 2023 offers the ideal opportunity to advance those objectives by marking two significant peacekeeping milestones — the 75^th anniversary of the first United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping operation (UNTSO), and the 35^th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to UN Peacekeepers. 

CPVA has therefore developed this Peacekeeping Anthology to celebrate Canada’s historic contributions to world peace through its deployment of over 130,000 Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans to serve on multinational missions with the United Nations (UN), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and other peacekeeping organizations. The Anthology also provides a sobering reminder that Peacekeeping can be a dangerous undertaking, by commemorating the more than 130 Canadians who died while serving on such missions.

The concept of Peacekeeping has become deeply ingrained in the psyche of Canadian society. Although the world’s multinational Peacekeeping efforts have had varying results, the professionalism, dedication, drive, and energy of Canadian Peacekeepers has never wavered. As a result, public support for our Peacekeepers has remained steadfast and true. We at CPVA wish to express our thanks by offering, through this Anthology, a unique perspective of our nation’s Peacekeeping — through the eyes of individual Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans, whether they be Military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from other Police services, or Civilians. 

We invite you to read the stories of those who brought light to the darkest of places, pushed hope and promise into the divide between combating forces, and aided the victims of conflict — all in the service of peace. 

Donald MacPherson