VIENTIANE: An event to mark International UXO/Mine Awareness Day took place in Vientiane on Wednesday (April 1), bringing together government officials, international partners and young people to highlight the urgent need for continued action on unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos.
Officially established by the United Nations in 2005, April 4 is observed globally to raise awareness of the dangers posed by UXO and to mobilise support for clearance efforts.
This year’s theme, “Invest in Peace, Invest in Mine Action”, places particular emphasis on youth engagement in Laos.
Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union, Thongly Sisoulith, presided over the event, which was also attended by the Director General of the Department of International Organisations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Head of the NRA Secretariat, Moukdavanh Sisoulith.
More than 400 people attended in total, including ambassadors, diplomats, representatives of United Nations agencies, international operators, and students from five secondary schools.
Participants took part in a range of practical and educational activities. UXO clearance teams demonstrated survey and safety procedures used to reclaim contaminated land, while talks explored the history of UXO in Laos, the Convention on Cluster Munitions, explosive ordnance risk education, and victim assistance programmes.
Moukdavanh said it was a meaningful way to mark the day and reflected Laos’ ongoing commitment to addressing the legacy of UXO and the role of young people in shaping a safer future.
She noted that Laos is hosting and chairing the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in September.
She described this as a symbolic “coming home” of the Convention to the country that has suffered the most from cluster munitions and has become a leading voice for a world free from cluster munitions. This is something every young person in Laos should be deeply proud of, she said.
The event also included the start of the National Art and Drawing Competition under the theme: “Voices Across Time: Strengthening the Lao Youth Legacy in Humanitarian Disarmament”.
The competition is intended to raise awareness of the dangers of UXO, provide a platform for young people to express their vision of a safer Laos, and build momentum towards the Cluster Munitions Convention Review Conference.
Art speaks where words sometimes cannot, Moukdavanh said, adding that through their artwork young people’s voices will be heard at the highest levels when international delegates convene in Vientiane in September.
To further engage young people across the country, organisers announced another national art competition titled “Messages to the Past and Future”, which is open to participants aged nine to 35, with submissions due by July 19.
The winners will receive scholarships worth up to 10 million kip and will be offered an opportunity to collaborate with international youth representatives.
Selected artworks will be created on deactivated cluster bomb casings as symbols of peace and will be exhibited to world leaders during the September conference. - Vientiane Times/ANN
