An evening in Ottawa on the protection of civilians in armed conflict
OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 11, 2023 /CNW/ - On Monday, December 4, Humanity & Inclusion Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Landmine Foundation and Mines Action Canada, paid tribute to the victims of bombing in populated areas at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
A ceremony was held with the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Yuliya Kovaliv, Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada, special guests, Humanitarian partners, members of the Diplomatic Corps and families of victims affected by armed conflict. All gathered around the Monument to the Unknown Civilian, a temporary memorial inspired by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honour the thousands of men, women and children unjustly killed and wounded by explosive weapons.
"This monument should serve as an important reminder of the need for strict and universal respect for international humanitarian law," said Anne Delorme, Executive Director of Humanity & Inclusion Canada. Our organization has seen first-hand the humanitarian consequences of the use of explosive weapons. The ceremony was a moving demonstration of our collective commitment to support those who suffer, and I hope it can help stimulate concrete action to protect civilians."
"Today, more than ever, Canada's leadership is needed to ensure the protection of civilians in situations of armed conflict," said the Honourable Mélanie Joly. I believe that participating in meaningful conversations contribute directly to our commitment to addressing protection challenges. Canada is proud to support organizations like Humanity & Inclusion Canada, whose work is essential to protecting and improving the lives of the most vulnerable."
The evening continued with a panel on the evolution of Canadian leadership in civilian protection, from the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines to the present day. A panel featuring Lloyd Axworthy and Peter MacKay, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and National Defence over the past 30 years; Jennifer Welsh, Canada 150 Research Chair in Global Governance and Security at McGill University; and Nujeen Mustafa, today an advocate for the rights of refugees and people with disabilities. They discussed current issues and challenges, past experiences and possible political approaches to ending violence against the victims of bombing and shelling, 90% of whom are civilians.
For more information on the event, visit www.hi-canada.org
About:
Humanity & Inclusion (formerly Handicap International) is an international solidarity organization that has been working tirelessly for over 40 years to ensure that people with disabilities and populations affected by crises, conflicts and disasters are never left behind. The organization is present in nearly 60 countries, where it runs projects focused on the inclusive development of people with disabilities, provides humanitarian aid to populations in crisis, and helps to reduce armed violence through awareness-raising, mine clearance and explosive ordnance education. Recognized for its advocacy work, HI is one of the founding organizations of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and the International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW), co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 and winner of the Conrad N. Hilton Award in 2011. In Canada, HI is based in Montreal and Ottawa for nearly 20 years.
SOURCE Humanity & Inclusion Canada
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