ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Timeline of UN peacekeeping missions

Okay kiddo, do you know what peacekeeping means? It's when a group of people, usually soldiers, are sent to different parts of the world to try and stop wars or conflicts from happening.

The United Nations (UN) is a big group of countries that work together to help make the world a better place. Sometimes, when countries are having troubles, the UN sends in peacekeeping missions to try and help them.

The first UN peacekeeping mission was sent out in 1948 to help stop fighting between Israel and the surrounding Arab countries. Since then, there have been over 70 different UN peacekeeping missions sent out to different parts of the world.

Each mission has a different purpose and is sent to a different country or region. Some missions are there to keep the peace between two countries that are fighting. Others are in countries that have been devastated by natural disasters or civil wars to try and help people get back on their feet.

There have been some very important moments in the history of UN peacekeeping. For example, in 1995, a mission was sent to Bosnia to help end the civil war that was tearing the country apart. They were successful in helping to bring peace to the region.

Another important moment was in 1994, when a mission was sent to Rwanda to try and stop the genocide that was happening there. Unfortunately, the mission was not able to stop the killing, and it remains a very sad moment in the history of UN peacekeeping.

Overall, UN peacekeeping missions are very important for helping to create a more peaceful world. They don't always work perfectly, but the people involved are doing their best to make a difference.