3 April 2008: Grozny celebrates International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
GROZNY, 3 April 2008. In the run-up to the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action celebrated annually on 4 April a marathon for disabled people was held in Grozny. About 150 disabled participants and approximately the same number of volunteers wearing t-shirts saying “No to Mines” managed to run one and a half kilometeres. Marathon was organized by local NGO Laman Az (Voice of the Mountains) as part of a joint program with United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF with support of the Grozny City Administration, ministries of culture, education, health of the Republic of Chechnya, as well as Handicap International. Football team of the disabled that UNICEF started up 6 years ago, other mine victims, and representatives of various associations of the disabled (deaf, blind and children with infantile cerebral paralysis) took part in the marathon. Adlan Dinayev, head of the NGO Laman Az said that the idea of marathon came to him after participating in a similar event last June in Central Park in New York, held by the Achilles Track Club. Adlan believes that “such sports events give people with disabilities a chance to feel needed by the society and this is extremely important.” Information support for the event was provided by Vainakh TV, Grozny TV, Grozny Informa Agency and Radio Grozny. Business community got involved as well: several companies supplied drinks and pizza and provided some of the awards for the winners.
According to UNICEF, starting from 1994 there have been 3096 mine accidents in Chechnya, 715 of them fatal. Land mines and unexploded ordnances hurt the most able-bodied population groups — from 17 to 40 years olds. Mine victims are the people that will work on economic development of the region, become politicians, develop intellectually and bring up their own children. Landmines and explosive remnants of war continue to pose a serious threat to civilians in Chechnya, especially children. UNICEF Mine Action program is being implemented in the region since 2000. UNICEF cooperates with schools and the mass media to promote mine risk education, and train teachers, counselors and other specialists on how to deal with such dangers. Safe youth leisure centers established by UNICEF provide a safe and child-friendly environment for about 700 children daily, allowing them to play free of the stress and fear bred by the danger of mines. ________________________________________________________________________ Since 1999 UNICEF's programme in the North Caucasus addresses vital needs for children's health, safety and education and fosters an environment where peace and tolerance can flourish. Projects worth 55 million US$ have been implemented in the region in partnership with local government, as well as international and local NGOs. UNICEF is actively involved in the following sectors: education, health, water and sanitation, child rights promotion, mine action, psycho-social recovery, peace and tolerance promotion. For more information, please, contact Zalina Ikoyeva, Communication Assistant, UNICEF North Caucasus, tel. +7 928 732 00 71, e-mail: zikoyeva@unicef.org
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