Peacekeeping in Africa

Hi, I’m Ellie the elephant. If a war means that people are fighting, peace is the opposite. Peace means people live together and get along. They respect each other’s differences.

Your school tries to create a peaceful place. It works to prevent bullying. But what happens when an entire country tries to bully others? Peace breaks down. This can lead to conflict.

Canada has had peacekeepers for more than 75 years. Peacekeepers are soldiers who go to troubled places to calm things down. They are sort of like referees in a hockey or soccer game. Peacekeeping is not easy. Once peace is lost, it takes time to regrow.

When Canadians go to other countries to keep the peace, it’s called a peacekeeping mission. One place they have gone many times is Africa. Africa is a big continent far away from Canada. It has lots of elephants, so I think it’s an interesting place! If you look on a map you will find countries there like Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan. Imagine going all that way to try and help other people be safe and free. Thank you, brave peacekeepers!