Protocol and Ceremonial of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia

Abstract

The United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC) is a Special Political Mission of the United Nations, established through Security Council Resolution 2261 (2016). It was created in response to the Final Peace Agreement signed in Havana, Cuba, in 2016 between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP), which brought an end to over fifty years of armed conflict. Initially, the mission's mandate was to verify the bilateral and definitive ceasefire and the laying down of arms by the FARC-EP. Subsequently, the Security Council expanded the mandate to include the monitoring of the reintegration process (political, economic, and social), security guarantees, and the verification of the sanctions issued by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). Since 2023, the UNVMC has also been verifying the ceasefire agreement between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN), as part of broader efforts to consolidate peace in the country.

In addition to technical and operational capabilities, each deployment of the United Nations also entails the application of institutional norms, including ceremonial and protocol practices adapted to the context of the host country. Among these, the medal award ceremony stands out as a formal event in which the UN publicly recognizes the service of deployed personnel — particularly military and police observers — for their contribution to peacekeeping, impartial monitoring, and mandate implementation. Far from being a merely symbolic gesture or administrative routine, the medal ceremony is a core component of the UN’s institutional diplomacy, with significant implications for legitimacy, visibility, internal cohesion, and the transmission of values.

This article aims to examine the medal award ceremony within the framework of the UNVMC, offering an analytical perspective that combines the United Nations’ regulatory framework with the contextual adaptations required in the Colombian setting. Drawing on a qualitative methodology — including bibliographic research, document analysis of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), institutional protocols, and non-participant observation — the study details the formal, symbolic, and organizational elements of the decoration event. It explores aspects such as the planning of the ceremony, the institutional hierarchy of participants, the use of ceremonial language and visual elements, and the meaning and official regulations governing the medals.

Particular emphasis is placed on how the United Nations articulates its institutional identity through symbolic practices such as this one. The awarding of medals becomes a mechanism for reinforcing core multilateral principles: impartiality, integrity, professionalism, and the recognition of merit in complex and high-risk environments. These acts also function as spaces for informal diplomacy, esprit de corps, and legitimacy-building vis-à-vis national and local stakeholders. All elements are carried out in line with the guidelines of the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and the Department of Operational Support (DOS), which establish clear criteria regarding eligibility, design, ceremony format, and procedures for awarding the medals.

The study also highlights how the UN protocol is not applied rigidly or uniformly but instead allows for flexibility and contextual adaptation. In Colombia, national military and police traditions, as well as local social customs, influence the structure and atmosphere of the ceremony, enriching the event without compromising its multilateral character. This balance between institutional standardization and local adaptation ensures the symbolic value of the ceremony while fostering closer ties between international personnel and the host communities.

In conclusion, the medal award ceremony within the UNVMC serves functions that go well beyond formal recognition. It acts as a catalyst for institutional identity, reinforces the United Nations’ image as a neutral and professional actor in post-conflict settings, and serves as an effective tool for symbolic communication. Studying this practice opens new avenues for research on the role of ceremonial diplomacy in international organizations, highlighting its importance as a means of public diplomacy, institutional recognition, and the professionalization of contemporary peace operations.