Photo: Isaac Billy
Immediately following WWII, the United Nations was formed with a mandate to promote international peace and security throughout the world. Branding for the UN was designed by a team of designers led by American architect and industrial designer Oliver Lundquist. The result was a logo consisting of a map of the world encircled by olive leaves. White and blue became the official colours of the United Nations. White, a colour synonymous with peace, was paired with light blue and its association with calmness, trust, stability and peacefulness. Some say that blue was chosen because it is “the opposite of red, the colour of war”.
Since 1948, the UN has been deploying military personnel for various peacekeeping missions. These operations are comprised of troops from many different countries, wearing uniforms accented by the unmistakeable UN blue. “The blue beret and helmet were created by Secretary-General Hammarskjöld during the formative days of UNEF (United Nations Emergency Forces)”, says Brian Urquhart in his book An American Life. “What was needed was distinctive headgear easy for a distant sniper to recognize.” The blue helmet has become a symbol of the UN and can be seen worn by as many as 70,000 military personnel across the globe.
