Members of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize for Peace, are taking the landmine ban message to the third annual World Social Forum, being held from 23-28 January in Porto Alegre, Brazil. More than 20 campaigners from three countries (Brazil, Uruguay, Germany) are in Porto Alegre this week to raise awareness of the global landmine situation and to urge the Government of Cuba to join the Mine Ban Treaty.
The World Social Forum, being held concurrently with the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, has drawn 100,000 participants from 5500 civil society organizations, representing 130 countries. Throughout the week, participants will attend a series of 1700 workshops, themed around democracy and sustainable development, human rights, the media, promoting peace and civil society and democracy. The Forum opened with a statement that "another world is possible, against militarization and war," and a solidarity march through Porto Alegre.
"The World Social Forum is an excellent opportunity to make contact with activists and non-governmental organizations from all over the world," said Gustavo Oliveira Vieira of the Brazilian Campaign to Ban Landmines (BCBL). "It's a chance to inform them about the pain and suffering landmines have created and the challenge they represent to countries rebuilding and healing after conflicts. It is also an opportunity to focus on the landmine situation in our own backyard, in the Americas, and to encourage Cuba, one of only two non-States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in the Americas, to embrace a global ban on antipersonnel mines."
According to the Landmine Monitor Report 2002, Cuba is believed to continue landmine production and since 1996 has maintained that it does not export antipersonnel mines. Landmines were planted around the US Naval Base at Guantánamo in the southeast of the country, by the United States and Cuba.
At the Forum, the BCBL will host daily workshops and a stand with information about landmines in the youth camping, where 30,000 young people will stay throughout the week. In addition, the campaign will hold an awareness-raising workshop for Forum participants on 28 January and four workshops for children as young as 7-years old in the "Little Forum."
Steffen Wicker, a 20 year old German citzen doing civil service in Brazil and a BCBL campaigner, stated that “ if we want to build another world, we must work with children and youth”.
The BCBL produced post cards, and are asking Forum participants to send them to Cuban President Fidel Castro, urging Cuba to join the Mine Ban Treaty. Says Vieira, "we expect to do more than raise awareness this week. We hope to influence global policy and encourage full universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty."
For more information:
For additional information or to schedule an interview contact:
