Brigadier-General Gregory Blair Mitchell, CD (Retired), is a Veteran who served in five United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions in Cyprus and in Sudan. Greg has been an active member of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association (CPVA) for more than seven years and has dedicated three years of full-time volunteer work to the PK75 project which commemorated the 75th anniversary of the first UN peacekeeping operation and the 35th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize for UN Peacekeeping Forces. The project also honored the 140 Canadians who sacrificed their lives in the service of peace.
Greg’s leadership was instrumental in developing a bilingual anthology of peacekeepers’ experiences, as well as various educational products and events. He used technology to mobilize a large team and optimize outreach, demonstrating exceptional leadership and successfully driving a complex project to completion with the collaboration of different stakeholders, including Veterans Affairs Canada.
Greg created an online anthology with biographies, photos, and anecdotes. He recruited authors, edited and translated their submissions, and collaborated with numerous partners. The anthology was unveiled on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers and distributed freely across Canada. Greg also helped organize two major events: a commemorative parade at the National War Memorial and a multigenerational learning afternoon at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa.
Greg developed a second edition of the anthology, enhancing its design and accessibility, and adding more anecdotes and expert articles. He reached out to various organizations and Members of Parliament, ensuring the anthology was continuously updated and shared. An educational website was developed, hosting the anthology and a collection of peacekeeping learning resources. Greg invited 70,000 educators to use these resources and connected teachers with peacekeeping Veterans. He also arranged online seminars on UN and peacekeeping-related topics all of which has significantly increased peacekeeping education.
The entire PK75 project was proposed, developed, and implemented by Greg and his dedication has brought national attention to the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping and Canadian peacekeeping Veterans. His tireless efforts have made this project a success, uplifting Veterans and promoting a community of former peacekeepers.