Printed from: www.icbl.org/Treaty/MBT/Annual-Meetings/6MSP/Old/Media/MA-Mines-to-Vines
December 2, 2005—Zagreb, Croatia—The 1997 Nobel Laureate, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), and Roots of Peace (RoP) will host a special MINES TO VINES Global Toast to Peace to mark the end of the 6th Meeting of States Parties (6MSP) to the Ottawa Convention ban on anti-personnel landmines and to help inspire the international community to turn toxic minefields into bountiful farmland worldwide. Nobel Co-Laureate, Jody Williams, will join Roots of Peace Founder, Heidi Kuhn, and Dijana Plestina, Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to raise a glass for peace surrounded by 6MSP delegates from around the world including landmine survivors and youth. The toast will also recognize the importance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities to the global anti-personnel mine movement, which takes place the following day on December 3rd and coincides with the day the Ottawa Convention first opened for signature eight years ago.
The event will occur at in Hangar 7, Zagreb Fairground at the ICBL’s Handicraft Village between 12:00-13:00, immediately following the closing press conference for 6MSP (TBC). The HandicraftVillage showcases various handicrafts and other items made by landmine survivors around the world. It serves as one example of an income generation activity aimed at the full reintegration of survivors back into their community – a commitment by States Parties under the Ottawa Convention. Mr. Haji Abdul Rahman Mohammadi, President of the Afghan Paralympics Committee, will present the gift of a hand-made carpet featuring the Convention logo weaved by Afghan landmine survivors to Ms. Plestina.
Roots of Peace is a California based non-profit organization dedicated to the eradication of landmines by returning demined land to productive agricultural use. Through donations from legendary Napa Valley vintners such as Croatian-born Mike Grigch, Robert Mondavi and Diane Disney Miller, and with the assistance of the U.D. government, Government of Croatia, and Croatian Mine Action Center (CROMAC). Roots of Peace has replaced the scourge of landmines with the nectar of grapes in portions of six communities in Croatia: Vukovar/Ilok, Karlovac, Ciste Male, Ciste Velika, Bibijne and Dragalic. “We began our first footsteps in the new millennium on the war-torn soils of Croatia in January 2000. Today, we are proud of the significant amount of money raised, including matching funds through the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victim Assistance to replace landmines with agricultural crops benefiting Croatia. Innovative public-private partnership donations through Autodesk GIS Mapguide software and North Face Jackets contributed to this humanitarian contribution,” said Heidi Kuhn, Founder and CEO.
In Afghanistan, Roots of Peace has removed over 100,000 landmines and other explosive devices, and has restored economic vitality to the war-torn region of Kabul and Kandahar. Over 800 tons of fresh Afghan grapes and raisins were exported from Kabul to Dubai, Delhi, Moscow, and Kiev in an historical Harvest of Hope during the Fall of 2005. The agricultural development and export activities of Roots of Peace have been funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Rehabilitation Agricultural Markets Program (RAMP), a large-scale project expanding and marketing high-value crops. Afghan landmine survivors will join us in Zagreb for our MINES TO VINES global toast to peace.
Expanding upon the established success of the demine-replant-rebuild model pioneered in Croatia and Afghanistan, Roots of Peace is has begun work in Angola. Roots of Peace is partnering with World Vision (WV) to eradicate the lethal harvest of landmines and plant agricultural crops in a effort to address poverty in Africa. In addition, Roots of Peace is partnering with Conservation International (CI) to remove landmines sown during Angola’s 26 year civil war so that elephants overpopulating neighboring Botswana can resume their traditional spread in the region. The removal of landmines will allow the largest footprints on earth to tread without fear. “Whether triggered by the boot of a soldier, the sandal of a child, or the footprint of an elephant, landmines are indiscriminate seeds of terror preventing the use of land for generations to come,” says Jody Williams, Roots of Peace Board Member and 1997 Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient.
For further information on this initiative or ICBL’s participation in the 6th Meeting of States Parties (6MSP), please visit www.rootsofpeace.org and www.icbl.org/news/mediaroom.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Nancy Ingram, ICBL Media Team (Zagreb – English only): 098 958 7256
Heidi Kuhn, Founder & CEO, Roots of Peace (California) 415-455-8008