Police receive UN medal at special ceremony in Cyprus

Elizabeth Spehar (R, front), UN Secretary-General's Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), presents the UN medal to a Chinese police officer at an awarding ceremony in Nicosia, Cyprus, on Oct. 18, 2019. Officers serving with the United Nations police contingent in Cyprus have been recognized for their dedicated service at a special ceremony on Friday. At a presentation in Nicosia, 21 members of the force received their UN Medal, which is awarded by the United Nations Secretary-General "In the Service of Peace." (Xinhua/Zhang Baoping)

NICOSIA, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Officers serving with the United Nations police contingent in Cyprus have been recognized for their dedicated service at a special ceremony on Friday.

At a presentation in Nicosia, 21 members of the force received their UN Medal, which is awarded by the United Nations Secretary-General "In the Service of Peace."

In remarks to the gathering, Elizabeth Spehar, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), addressed what she described as the "fine, upstanding and very talented" police officers.

"At the UN, meanwhile, we remain deeply committed to the cause of peace on this beautiful island," she said.

"We are committed to assisting both the leaders, as well as the women and men of Cyprus to pave the way ahead for a brighter shared future for all."

In an interview with Xinhua, Chinese police officer Lan Chao, who received a medal at the event said: "This is a great honor for me. It is also a very important time during my life and I will work hard and do a lot of things for my country because I represent police officers from China."

The police force -- known as the United Nations Police (UNPOL) -- has been part of UNFICYP since 1964. Officers hail from fifteen different contingents, including Bulgaria, India, Ireland, China, Italy, Jordan, Sweden, and Ukraine.

The contingent currently boasts 69 officers contributing to the maintenance of law and order in the buffer zone, with a focus on promoting trust between the two communities.

Su Dongxu from China, the Acting Senior Police Advisor and Chief Superintendent, praised the gender balance in the force.

"I'm pleased to note the UNFICYP police have been a role model in representing the Secretary General's policy of gender parity," he said. Among officers currently deployed in Cyprus, 27 are female.

To close the ceremony, the Cyprus Police Band gave a special performance.