More than 800 participants representing 21 nations were united as the opening ceremony kicked off this year's largest peacekeeping training event Aug. 19, 2014 at the Indonesia Peace and Security Center in Sentul, Indonesia.

The Global Peace Operations Initiative Capstone Training Event Garuda Canti Dharma 2014 is a training event that contributes to regional peacekeeping training capacity and strengthens multinational cooperation.

"The Garuda Canti Dharma Capstone is the largest international peacekeeping training event this year anywhere in the world, and the training you will receive here will prepare you for the multitude of challenges you will encounter as peacekeepers on mission,"? said U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Robert O. Blake Jr.

Garuda Canti Dharma, meaning Indonesia Serving for Peace, is an Indonesia-hosted and U.S.-sponsored multinational training event designed to train Indonesian National Defense Forces and GPOI Partner Nation defense personnel for deployment to United Nations peacekeeping missions.

The goals and objectives of the training event are to increase participants interoperability and peacekeeping skills prior to deployment to UN missions.

"This joint exercise will increase the interoperability between these nations and is designed to certify soldiers for future UN peacekeeping missions around the world,"? said Indonesia armed forces commander Gen. Dr. Moeldoko.

Moeldoko said this exercise came at a good time, and is expected to serve as an excellent forum for developing the troops skills and knowledge.

To develop their skills and knowledge, the training event is comprised of three main events: senior staff training, staff officer training event and field training events.

"The three key parts include a senior-level set of exercises and events where we discuss the circumstances of peacekeeping and the considerations for the commitment of forces in peacekeeping,"? said U.S. Army Pacific commanding general Gen. Vincent K. Brooks.

Brooks said the other focus is on the staff officer event training for the officers who will organize the work of the peacekeeping forces being committed, and the third are field-training events that put various platoons through a set of exercises designed to help the participants apply the lessons they will learn during the training.

"We will also have closer relationships with each one of these different flags [nations] you saw on the field today, and the real measure of success comes when they are committed abroad,"? Brooks said.

The 21 participating nations include: Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, Tanzania, Vietnam, Ukraine, U.S. and U.N. Headquarters.