UNITED NATIONS LAUNCHES MAJOR LAND-MINE EXHIBIT IN NEW YORK
Press Release
IHA/595
UNITED NATIONS LAUNCHES MAJOR LAND-MINE EXHIBIT IN NEW YORK
19960423 NEW YORK, 23 April (Department of Humanitarian Affairs) -- The Under- Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Yasushi Akashi, will open a major exhibition on the deadly legacy of land-mines at 6 p.m. Wednesday, 24 April, in the United Nations Headquarters public lobby. Entitled "Land-Mines: A Global Crisis", the exhibit will be on display until 31 May 1996.The exhibition is being timed to coincide with the Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects, taking place in Geneva from 22 April to 3 May. The Convention is the only source of international treaty law that directly applies to the use of land-mines.
The exhibition, through multi-media, tactile and interactive components, highlights the frightening extent of the international proliferation of mines, the social and economic destruction wrought by the weapons and the demining activities currently being undertaken by the United Nations and the international community. Exhibit panels provide information on the devastation and cost to local populations and the international community.
There will be daily demonstrations of the United Nations Demining Database and Web page. The database tracks the international situation of land-mine proliferation in 69 countries and territories, as well as the demining, advisory and training activities of the United Nations. In addition, fact sheets on the various aspects of land-mines and the United Nations demining activities are available.
One unique component of the exhibit is the "land-mine boxes" -- several boxes filled with various types of terrain (soft dirt, sand, heavy undergrowth) that contain de-activated land-mines. The exhibit goer will be able to use a mine detector or prod, attached to the boxes, to try out the techniques of demining. The exhibit also contains a rare collection of photographs which explore the impact of land-mines on individuals and communities around the world.
Visitors to the exhibit are encouraged to add their names to the 1.6 million signatures in support of a ban on the production, export and use of land-mines. The petition will be presented to Member States through the General Assembly at the closure of the exhibition.
* *** *