Since 2015, 4 April has been the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.

In the week leading?up to it,?the?mine?action community, led by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), will?roll out?activities?across the globe?to raise awareness and to seek assistance for?mine action work.?

In 2020, despite the?pandemic:

  • thousands of explosives were found and destroyed

  • hundreds of thousands of square meters of land were made safe and put to productive use

  • millions of people living in, or returning to, contaminated areas, were provided with explosive ordnance risk education, incorporating, in many cases, lifesaving World Health Organization COVID-19 prevention guidance

This year, the?United Nations will promote?mine action by?highlighting?how "Perseverance, Partnership,?and?Progress”?have carried the sector through this challenging year.?

A?multi-media exhibition of the same?name will?open on 31 March?on the?UN?Exhibits page, which will display the exceptional photography and videography?until 15 May.?

Last week, Beyond Square Meters Cleared: Mine Action and Development,?a high-level Development Dialogue?convened?by?UNDP, brought together world leaders in the field of mine?action and?development.??

On 8 April, the Security Council, under the Presidency of Viet Nam,?will hold an open debate?to consider?Mine action and sustaining peace: Stronger partnerships for better delivery. The?debate, which will include?an?intervention?by?the Secretary-General,?will?put the spotlight on mine action at the highest level.?

On 16 April civil society organizations will address the United States Congressional Unexploded Ordnance/Demining Caucus. This event aims to?update?members of?the U.S.?Congress and their staff about the humanitarian dangers of?unexploded ordnance?and the successes of U.S. demining?programmes?around the world.?

The United Nations Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards, Daniel Craig,?will address?the Caucus?through a video message.??

UN mine action?programmes?from Viet Nam to?Afghanistan, Somalia to?the?Central African Republic, Libya?to?Colombia,?will mark?the?International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action?in innovative ways.

A list of?events?will be available in the “Perseverance, Partnership, Progress” multi-media exhibition.

Check it out next week.??