A Canadian Forces veteran in Yorkton highlights the important role Canadians play in peacekeeping operations around the world.
Cpl. Sharm Dursun served three missions as a peacekeeper from 2000 to 2005 in the Balkans after the Bosnian War.
“For me, serving Canadians, serving Canada as a peacekeeper is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life,” he told CTV News.
During his stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dursun’s role was to ensure the safety of people and help refugees fleeing violence.
The conflict – which was part of the breakup of Yugoslovia – was marked by intense ethnic violence and lasted three years, from 1992 to 1995.
Other conflicts in Kosovo and Macedonia continued until the early 2000s as part of the “Yugoslav Wars”.
Nearly 40,000 Canadian peacekeepers served in the Balkans from 1992 to 2007.
In total, 23 soldiers lost their lives during the deployment, according to Veterans Affairs Canada.
While holding his own service in high regard, Dursun says Remembrance Day is a particularly important time for people to pay tribute to those who served in previous world conflicts.
“I like to appreciate the veterans that came before me, like World War I, World War II. How did they experience this? he said.
For the past 19 years, Dursun has served in the military reserves in Yorkton.
As a veteran and former peacekeeper, he says people should be grateful to live in a country like Canada.
“We should be lucky to have a country like Canada, a peaceful place. Whereas other places don’t have that,” Dursun explained.
“This is what we are fighting for. We fight for peace. So that everyone has peace.
On November 14, the Royal Canadian Legion will screen a Remembrance Day film at the Yorkton Public Library to honor the occasion and mark the 150th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.