United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will honor two peacekeepers for extraordinary courage on June 5, presenting them with the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal, the highest UN peacekeeping award. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at UN Headquarters from 17:00 to 19:00 Turkish time and will be broadcast live on UN Web TV.
Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal Recipients
Sergii Prykhodko, Ukraine
Ukrainian contractor Sergii Prykhodko, serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), volunteered to replace a less experienced colleague during a high-risk air evacuation in March 2025 to rescue besieged soldiers in the Yei region. During the mission, their helicopter came under fire. Prykhodko lost his life while two crewmates were injured. His sacrifice aided in saving lives amid escalating violence in the area.
Corporal Matias Reyes, Uruguay
Uruguayan Corporal Matias Reyes, deployed with the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), witnessed clashes between the Congolese Armed Forces and the M23 armed group in January 2025. While securing the entrance to the MONUSCO base, he repeatedly rescued wounded Congolese soldiers seeking refuge within the UN mission compound under heavy fire. Reyes went beyond his duty by moving 12 severely injured soldiers to a temporary medical tent, saving lives. As Corporal Reyes is still deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a representative from Uruguay’s Permanent Mission to the UN is expected to receive his medal.
Military Gender Advocate of the Year
Major Abhilasha Barak, India
Major Abhilasha Barak, serving as Force Commander and Gender Focal Point for the Indian Battalion in South Lebanon, facilitates the integration of women into peacekeeping operations. She has engaged with over 5,000 women and girls through vocational training, education, and health programs that support female empowerment and post-conflict recovery. Additionally, she introduced an AI-powered platform called the Lebanon Gender Initiative, enabling women and children to discreetly report gender-based violence.
UN Woman Police Officer of the Year
Inspector Stephanie Königs, Germany
German Inspector Stephanie Königs has been recognized for her outstanding leadership and contributions to mission execution while serving as a patrol team leader with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) from September 2024 to March 2026. She enhanced field operations by establishing structured patrol systems and improving coordination with mission troops. Königs helped strengthen early warning mechanisms, supporting decision-making during crises. Operating in a high-risk and sensitive environment, Königs demonstrated that women can perform frontline policing duties with confidence and authority, boosting both mission effectiveness and trust with local communities.
