Indian peacekeepers’ message from Kilimanjaro peak

Two Indian army officers, currently deployed as peacekeepers in South Sudan, are part of a team that has embarked on an expedition to climb Africa’s highest peak Mount Kilimanjaro to convey a message of peace and stability for the continent. Colonel Dipinder Virk is leading the team comprising Major Vikash Kumar and Major Liviu Chende from Romania and hopes to reach the peak at a height of 19,340 feet on Christmas day.

The trio plans to hoist the UN flag on the summit, taking the message of peace to the highest peak in the continent, according to information provided by the UN and the mission in South Sudan. The trio will be the first all-male peacekeepers team to scale Kilimanjaro. Virk, who like his teammates is a seasoned climber, said their climb is symbolic of the efforts of the United Nations to bring peace and stability in Africa, specifically to South Sudan. “We think of no borders, we are here for peace and as a continent, if peace is to come to South Sudan, it must come from the entire efforts of the people on the African continent,” he said.

“It is also giving hope and showcasing to the people of South Sudan that the peacekeepers are so committed that they are ready to go to the highest mountain in Africa to do that. So it is not just about a profession, there is a heart attached to the people of South Sudan and the peacekeepers,” Virk said. Kumar said just as Kilimanjaro is a stable and formidable natural feature, they want peace to remain stable in South Sudan also. 

“We want to show the efforts of the UN and UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) to show that there’s a heart attached to the blue berets. We also wish for the image of peacekeepers to be known for being motivated by the ideals behind peacekeeping and the blue berets,” Kumar said.