English for UN Military Peacekeepers was launched earlier this year in Jakarta and is a practical training resource aimed at teaching UN Military Peacekeepers English language to help them carry out their missions overseas.
It was developed by Colm Downes, Peacekeeping English Project Manager, British Council Indonesia, with input from The Indonesian National Defence Forces Peacekeeping Training Center and The Indonesian Defence Education and Language Training Centre.
“Indonesia is committed to increasing its peacekeeping efforts around the world. We are delighted to be working with the British Council to develop English language skills of our peacekeepers and instructors needed to achieve this aim." Chief of international co-operation at the Indonesian National defence Forces Peacekeeping Center, Lieutenant Colonel Victor George
How English for UN Military Peacekeepers will be used
It will primarily be used as an English language training resource during pre-deployment training for UN Peacekeepers. As well as teaching key English language, the training material revises key learning points from UN Core Pre-Deployment Training Modules. The book can be used in the classroom or as a self-study resource.
It has units dedicated toward traditional peacekeeping tasks, such as patrolling, monitoring ceasefires, escorting humanitarian convoys, and a key part of the book is the integration of learning on preventing sexual and gender based violence, human rights and international humanitarian law.
All Indonesian UN Peacekeepers will be issued with a copy, which they will take with them on deployment. They can continue to use it to improve their English skills on peacekeeping operations in the field. The book also provides space for them to add translations of key vocabulary in the local language spoken in the country of their UN Mission.
It is non-country specific, so it can be picked up and used by any UN Military Peacekeeper regardless of their mother tongue.
Future development
English for UN Military Peacekeepers is a work in progress and the first edition is a pilot. It will be revised with the aim of producing improved future editions, and hopefully an interactive online version and an app for smartphones.
For more information about English for UN Military Peacekeepers contact Colm Downes.
