Honouring THE peacekeepers

A focus on regional stories: Australian peacekeepers have been involved in peacekeeping operations in 62 United Nations and other peace missions. Photo: SUPPLIED

BENDIGO Military Museum is hosting an exhibition commemorating the service and sacrifice of Australia’s Peacekeepers.

The exhibition is on show until 31 July at the museum at 37-39 Pall Mall.

The Faces of Peace highlights the service of Bendigo personnel to international peacekeeping operations since 1947.

A spokesperson for the museum said the exhibition offers an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary service that ordinary people in our community gave to the ideals of peace and cooperation.

Service and sacrifice: Bendigo people have contributed to international peacekeeping operations since 1947. Photo: SUPPLIED

“A group of four Australians became the world’s first United Nations Peacekeeper in September 1947.

“They were deployed to monitor a UN-imposed ceasefire in what is now known as Indonesia.

“Since that day Australia has provided military and police personnel to 62 United Nations and other multilateral peace operations across the globe.

“Faces of Peace tells the story of this through the lens of 30 peacekeepers from regional Victoria that have participated in 14 of those operations.

“This exhibition will help visitors to reimagine what a veteran looks like and to discover what a peacekeeper does.”

Over 3,000 people in the Bendigo area have served or are serving in the Defence Force and numerous federal police officers have served on peacekeeping missions.