Every year, the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is observed on March 25 around the world. This annual event aims to honour and advocate for the protection of UN personnel and other staff members who have been detained, abducted, or gone missing while carrying out their duties. This annual event highlights the dangers faced by journalists, humanitarian workers, and UN personnel in conflict zones and high-risk areas.

The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is marked each year on the anniversary of the abduction of Alec Collett, a former journalist who was working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) when he was abducted by armed gunman in 1985.  His body was finally found in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley in 2009. In this article, let’s know more about the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members 2025 date, history and significance of the annual event. March 2025 Holidays and Festivals Calendar: List of Important Dates and Events in the Third Month of the Year.

International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members 2025 Date

International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members 2025 falls on Tuesday, March 25.

International Day of Solidarity With Detained and Missing Staff Members  History

Ever since the United Nations was founded in 1945, hundreds of brave men and women around the world have lost their lives at the time of their services. The first resolution on staff security was adopted by the UN Security Council in September 1993. Complex negotiations subsequently took place in the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the General Assembly on an international legal convention to protect UN personnel. The result of those negotiations was the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1994.

International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members Significance

International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is an annual global event that aims to take action, demand justice and encourage communities and governments to protect UN staff and peacekeepers, as well as our colleagues in the non-governmental community and the press. On this day, awareness campaigns are held to highlight the risks faced by UN and humanitarian workers worldwide. Hence, this annual event calls for justice and accountability for those who have been attacked, kidnapped, or unjustly imprisoned.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 25, 2025 11:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).