CPVA’s most recent project celebrated 2023 as the Year of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veteran, in recognition of the 75^th anniversary of UN peacekeeping, and the 35^th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to UN peacekeepers. Both anniversaries offered an ideal opportunity to recognize and celebrate Canada’s amazing contributions to world peace, and especially the personal contributions of the thousands of Canadians who participated in peacekeeping operations around the globe.

To that end, CPVA developed the PK75 Anthology. A digital, bilingual publication, it focused on Canada’s historic contributions to peacekeeping through the eyes of more than110 representative Canadian peacekeepers. And those who significantly impacted and enabled their efforts.

The Anthology was made freely available to schools across Canada, both public and independent, with the intent to assist teachers in educating young people as well as to enhance public awareness of Canada’s longstanding contribution to peacekeeping. Our hope is that as many Canadians as possible will have the opportunity 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.

Through partnerships with VAC and the United Nations Association in Canada (UNAC), the original PK75 project expanded beyond the Anthology to include two events that were held in Ottawa on 29 May 2023.

The first was a Service of Remembrance at the National War Memorial, to commemorate the 140 Canadians who died or were killed while serving on peacekeeping missions over the past 75 years. The second was a multi-generational event held at the Shaw Centre, comprising a series of presentations, displays, exhibits, and activities in celebration of 75 years of United Nations Peacekeeping, including the unveiling of the PK75 Anthology.

Our Peacekeeping Anthology, entitled Stories of Canadian Peacekeepers is now available in both English and French on our educational website: PK75.ca.