Debate: 20 years of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines – is a mine-free world still a realistic goal?

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Landmines and Unexploded Weapons of Conflict
Chairman: Pauline Latham OBE MP

 

Debate: 20 years of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines – is a mine-free world still a realistic goal?

When – 6:30 pm, Monday 19th November, 2012.
Where – The Mandela Room at the Commonwealth Club, Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5AP.

 

Chairman: Stuart Hughes, Diplomatic Producer BBC News

 

Panel

• Nick Roseveare MBE, Chief Executive, Mines Advisory Group (MAG)
• Agnes Marcaillou, Director, UNMAS New York
• Chris Austin, Head of the Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department at DFID
• Steven Smith, Chief Executive, Action on Armed Violence
• Judy Grayson, Head of the child protection section’s work on armed violence and weapons, UNICEF New York.

Special Guest:  Sir Bobby Charlton – founder of the landmines charity ‘Find a Better Way’

 

 Places are strictly limited so book your place now (click on link http://www.thercs.org/society/252). Cost is £15, of which £10 will go to Find a Better Way, plus booking fee.

 

Activity

 

A high level debate, in association with the Royal Commonwealth Society looking back over the past twenty years – and forward to the huge amount of work still needing to be done. The debate will be followed by a drinks reception kindly sponsored by Explore Worldwide adventure holidays and the CIPR international Group.

 

Background

 

"Millions of people live with the fear of landmines. And every day people die or suffer horrific injuries from abandoned weapons left behind after conflict".

 

2012 marks the 20th anniversary of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. In October 1992, six NGOs held the ICBL’s founding meeting, with the goal of ridding the world of landmines. The odds were long, the challenges immense, but five years of intense lobbying and negotiations later the Ottawa Treaty came into existence. The Ottawa process was – and still is – seen as a model for how civil society groups can help resolve some of the pressing issues of our time, and that there is a place for “global citizen diplomacy.”

 

We need to re-awaken awareness of the continuing and often indiscriminate use of landmines and improvised explosive devices and their unacceptable humanitarian and developmental consequences – by openly exploring the successes and failures of the last 20 years. Two decades ago, the ICBL proved that NGOs could put issues on the international agenda and drive change. But 20 years on, what is the future for the ICBL and the wider mine ban movement? How does the movement remain energised and motivated – and how will it continue to attract donors in the years ahead? Is true universalization of the treaty realistic when major powers such as the US, Russia and China remain outside it? Is “virtual compliance” enough? Is it time for the ICBL to celebrate its successes and move onto other issues?

 

Contact

 

Nigel Ellway, APPG Co-ordinator,

Mob: 07586 329335

nigel.ellway@parliament.uk