TOWARDS A LANDMINE FREE WORLD

Until November 20, the photo exhibition Towards a Landmine Free World can be seen in the Atrium in the City Hall. This exhibition is organized in the context of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) that will take place from November 15 until November 19 at the World Forum in the Hague.

Mine Action
This photo exhibition is organized in light of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC). This UN Treaty is an important instrument in mitigating the use and impact of landmines. More than 60 countries and areas worldwide are faced with a landmine problem. Landmines and other explosive remnants of war still cause 10 to 15 victims every day, of which almost half are children. In addition, landmines make large areas unsafe for construction and agriculture. To improve the safety of people in mine-affected countries and to address the root causes of instability, it is vital that countries invest in Mine Action.

Presidency the Netherlands Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC)
The Netherlands is the 8th largest donor worldwide in Mine Action. This past year, the Netherlands was President of the APMBC. During the Netherlands Presidency, three important pillars were highlighted: Innovation – by supporting innovative solutions, such as the use of 3D printed mines for training purposes. Inclusivity – by including all needs of mine-affected communities in demining, with a specific focus on mental health and psychosocial support. (Local) Capacity Building – by sharing knowledge and expertise among mine clearance authorities worldwide. Every year States and organizations meet to discuss the progress of the Convention in a Meeting of States Parties (MSP). The 19th MSP will be held from 15 to 19 November 2021 in the World Forum in The Hague.

Partners
The Netherlands supports six organizations that are committed to Mine Action: The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS); Humanity and Inclusion (HI); The HALO Trust; Mines Advisory Group (MAG); Danish Refugee Council (DRC), formerly known as Danish Demining Group (DDG); Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD).

The photos in this exhibition come from the partner organizations mentioned above and from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), a global network of non-governmental organizations working towards a mine-free world. The photos were taken in different regions of the world: from Colombia and Burkina Faso to Iraq and Ukraine. The images show the various activities of Mine Action: from victim assistance and the clearance of mines and other explosives to risk education. All of these activities are essential to ensure that people can live in safe conditions and that mine-affected countries can recover economically and socially.

This exhibition was made possible by the City Council of The Hague and is organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

All people depicted in the photos have given explicit permission for the use of these photos. For photos of children, explicit permission was requested and granted from a parent/guardian.