UNIFIL commander General Abagnara, and Lebanese and UN security representatives release doves on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, at the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, on Sept. 22, 2025. (Photo taken from UNIFIL’s X account).
For the first time in two years, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) celebrated the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21, with a ceremony held at its headquarters in Naqoura, southern Lebanon. The event was attended by Major General Diodato Abagnara, head of mission and UNIFIL commander, as well as General Nicolas Tabet representing the army commander-in-chief, General Rodolphe Haykal, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Omran Reza, representatives of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) and General Security, among others.
In his remarks, Abagnara emphasized the close cooperation with the Lebanese Army in maintaining peace in southern Lebanon. "We preserve peace through joint patrols between UNIFIL and the Army, so that farmers can reach their fields, children can go to school without fear, and aid can reach the most vulnerable during difficult times," he said.
The UNIFIL commander lamented the ongoing scenes of destruction in the villages, highlighting the courage and determination of residents committed to rebuilding and resuming their lives. This devastation stems from the most recent conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which took place from October 2023 to late November 2024 and left southern villages ravaged and in ruins. Israeli aggression continues daily despite the cease-fire agreed to on Nov. 27, 2024, and despite the presence of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army.
"Our partnership with the Lebanese Army is essential — every joint patrol, every shared responsibility, every joint measure contributes to building peace," Abagnara continued. "UNIFIL’s role is as crucial today as it was at its creation, at the request of the Lebanese government and by U.N. Security Council mandate, with the aim of preserving calm, preventing escalation, and laying the groundwork for political solutions," he noted.
UNIFIL has come under criticism, notably from the United States and Israel, but their efforts to block the renewal of its mandate have failed. The Security Council has decided to extend UNIFIL's mandate until the end of 2026, allowing one year for a final withdrawal. Meanwhile, tensions and clashes recur between UNIFIL patrols and local residents, in a region largely supportive of Hezbollah, when peacekeepers enter villages without being accompanied by the Lebanese Army.
At the end of the ceremony, Abagnara and various officials released doves as a gesture of peace.
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