BEIRUT: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon honored eight Lebanese staffers Monday who have served for 30 years with the organization as the force observed U.N. Day at its Naqoura headquarters.

The day marked the 66th anniversary of the founding of the U.N., and saw a reception for staff, diplomats and politicians held at UNESCO Palace in Beirut.

In a speech to mark the occasion, UNIFIL Force Commander Major General Alberto Asarta Cuevas vowed that his mission would continue to implement some of the founding principles of the U.N. by continuing to serve in south Lebanon.

“On this day, let us all pledge to stand firmly united by the ideals that led to the creation of the United Nations 66 years ago and which today, in our changing world, remain an anchor of hope to achieve lasting peace, security and development for all mankind,” Asarta said.

Eight Lebanese members of UNIFIL staff were presented with certificates recognizing three decades of service with the peacekeeping organization.

Asarta hailed the dedication of his troops, “who have worked relentlessly towards the accomplishment of the mission’s mandate and paid tribute to those who lost their lives serving the cause of peace with UNIFIL and to peacekeepers all around the world,” UNIFIL said in a statement.

The force commander also praised the Lebanese Army, whose role, according to Asarta, had been “central” to the implementation of UNIFIL’s mandate. He added that his force was indebted to the accommodating role played by the people of south Lebanon.

UNIFIL has endured a torrid 2011, as twin bomb attacks on its soldiers provided the most dangerous months the mission has seen since 2008. A roadside bomb close to the southern port city of Sidon exploded in May, wounding six Italian soldiers and prompted Italy, the largest troop contributing country, to downsize its contingent by roughly 700 personnel. A separate blast, near the site where the Italian soldiers had been attacked, wounded five French peacekeepers.

May saw the redeployment of a contingent from Ireland, returning after five years away from south Lebanon. Ireland’s outgoing President Mary McAleese this month warned that the government and security forces needed to do more to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel.

UNIFIL was first deployed in Lebanon in 1978 and its presence was beefed up in the wake of the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, under the mandate of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.

In Beirut, United Nations Development Program Resident Representative Robert Watkins addressed attendees and spoke of the work U.N. missions conducted in Lebanon. Beirut is still without a permanent U.N. representative following the departure last month of Michael Williams, who left Lebanon to take up a position in Britain’s House of Lords.

U.N. day is observed annually to mark the founding of the organization with the entry into force of the United Nations Charter on Oct. 24, 1945.