• Event: “Rumble in Cartagena” Quad Rugby Match
• Hosted by: Survivor Corps, the ICBL, the CMC and Fundacion Arcangeles
• Date: Wednesday, December 2
• Time: 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Location: Colegio Salesianos

December 3 marks the anniversary of the signing of both the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on Cluster Munitions as well as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. On the eve of this day, a celebratory event will take place that weaves a memorable sports game with words by key figures in promoting victim assistance and the rights of persons with disabilities. After the game, spectators will have the chance to have a hands-on experience with quad rugby. They will be encouraged to jump in the chairs and have a friendly game with the athletes. The exhibition will end with a cocktail and live music.

For more information: olivia@icbl.org

Read More

December 02, 2009, 12:01pm   Comments

Tirza Leibowitz, Survivor Corps’ Director of Rights Advocacy, gives an update on the progress of Cartagena Summit.

It’s a pleasure to have met up with everyone — Kim Hoa, Shireen,
Albert, Zeljko, Ramiz, Jesus, Bekele, Jairo, Riley, (Nate joining this
evening) — and to work together as a team.

Highlights from today’s events:

1. Our side event on Towards Survivorship — From Victim to Citizen —
facilitated by Jairo, was a smashing success: Full house, very
interesting discussion. Jairo did a wonderful job facilitating. Riley,
Shireen, Kim Hoa, and Nerina were all helping behind the scenes.
Participants were left with a desire for more. The subject is
pertinent to victim assistance discussed here at the Conference, and
beyond.  Zeljko was one of the panelists, together with two of our own.

2. The ICBL just made the closing remarks in the plenary discussion,
on victim assistance. We were notable authors of this intervention —
which won applause at the end, and more importantly, pressed forth
three clear messages to states parties, about the need to support and
implement the Cartagena Action Plan, continue substantial victim
assistance funding and earmark it so its allocation to victim
assistance programs is assured, and to use the CRPD as the human
rights framework for implementing victim assistance including signing,
ratifying and implementing it.

3. In general, the CRPD has been very prominent in most of the states’
interventions, and in the ICBL one. We can attribute this development
very much to our efforts over the years and in the last few months
leading up to the Summit.

A few more highlights from the last few days:

Read More

December 01, 2009, 12:00pm   Comments

My name is Eric Niragira. Burundian with a degree in Management, I am the founding President of the training center for development of ex-combatants. I took part in the war in our country, Burundi. During this period many innocent people were killed and women raped. After combat, I continued my studies and created CEDAC in order to share experiences with other ex-combatants, and analyze together how we can prevent them in the future and say “Never again.” Briefly, my commitment was to show them that we can promote change by using our own contribution through peace consolidation and development program. We sensitize people in putting back small arms and taking part in their collection. Many collection operations of small arms have taken place in Burundi since 2005. The second program is to fight poverty by the promotion of micro-projects among community members, with donor support. So far we have 25,000 members coming from various armed movements. As Vice President of Member Burundian Vision, an NGO working in Burundi, and member of the Executive Committee of World Border Organization, I campaign for a better world and I welcome help from everyone who wants to join us in this initiative of reconstruction of our world.

For more information about my work, check out my blog at http://ericniragira.blogspot.com/

November 18, 2009, 3:12pm   Comments

• Event: Towards Survivorship: From victims to citizens
• Date: Monday, November 30,
• Time: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Location: Comisión 4

Victim assistance can be provided in a way that promotes victimhood. It can highlight reparations alone as a condition for recovery. It can lack the end-goal of creating a true opportunity for full and effective participation in all walks of society.  Or, it can be provided in a way that addresses long-term recovery, facilitates victims’ full reintegration into society and furthers empowerment and self-reliance, with the goal of enabling survivors to themselves define and carry out their life visions.

In this roundtable discussion, survivors of conflict, experts in the field of victim assistance, and policy makers from around the world will share their experiences in order to identify key issues and propose lines of action for creating effective assistance plans.

Read More

November 10, 2009, 12:55pm   Comments

Photo: Denis Jacquerye, 2005

Taking nearly 200 years and over 245 tons of gold to build, the 17th-century Castillo is one of the greatest Spanish fortresses ever constructed.  Visitors can take in breathtaking views from its parapets and walk amongst the cannons that once broke a three month siege by English warships.

The Castillo’s entrance fee is $5 US, but the facility, which lacks formal exhibits and information, recommends hiring a guide beforehand.

November 03, 2009, 1:15pm   Comments

NEW YORK - October 29 - The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund has agreed to support the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines over the next year as it works to bring the United States in line with the international treaties banning landmines and cluster munitions.

Read More

November 02, 2009, 11:57am   Comments

My name is Albert, and it will be a great pleasure to meet all of you in Cartagena in November.

I am the Country Program Coordinator of Survivor Corps in Rwanda (East Africa) and I have been working with SC since last year.  I am happy to be part of this amazing team. I’ve been involved in monitoring and advocacy of the Committee of the Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC), the Mine Ban Treaty, and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).

I hope our meeting achieves its goals of ensuring the implementation of all related treaties.

October 09, 2009, 1:55pm   Comments

I’m Riley Abbott and I’m a Program Associate at Survivor Corps. I have had a chance to work with some of you directly at the Mine Ban Treaty Meeting of States Parties in June 08, with others while at an advocacy training in Kampala, here in Washington, or even remotely via email.  For those whom I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting face-to-face, I’m really excited to do so!  

I’m a young man in my upper 20s from the Midwestern United States state of Minnesota where the wind and the snow can be dreadful but the food, art and people can make all your worries be gone. I came to Washington, DC after two years living in El Salvador through the Peace Corps where I worked with the municipal government to build the capacity of civil institutions, improve communications between organizations, and reduce youth inscription to gangs and violence. Professionally, I’m interested in building the relationships between civil society organizations, civilians and their governments and involving citizens in the planning and development of cities and regions. At Survivor Corps we call it social capital building and daily I get to exercise my interests through our programs that aid in the recovery of individuals affected by war, help their groups engage with the broader community and become active in exercising their rights.  

I’m really excited for Cartagena, because we will get a chance to engage global leaders and all of us, normal civilians working in human development and peace-building, will get a chance to do it at the highest level!!  It’s a great honor. 

Whether or not I get a chance to join you in Cartagena, please know that I’ll be here in DC supporting you during the lead up and during the conference. Be in touch and let’s make important changes!

October 09, 2009, 1:47pm   Comments

My name is Shireen, I work as the Regional Coordinator and Partnerships Manager at the Survivor Corps Middle East and North Africa office located in Amman, Jordan. I have been working with Survivor Corps/LSN since 2007 as a social worker.  I am very eager to participate in the summit and to be able to take a leading role in the region.

October 09, 2009, 1:34pm   Comments

Kenneth R. Rutherford lost both his legs to a landmine in Somalia in 1993. He is currently an Professor Pubilc Affairs at Missouri State University and travels worldwide to promote the economic and social rights for persons with disabilities. He is co-founder of Survivor Corps, formerly the Landmine Survivors Network,. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania, UNHCR in Senegal, and the International Rescue Committee in Kenya and Somalia. He has testified before Congress and published articles in numerous academic and policy journals. He earned his doctorate at Georgetown University.  In 1997, Ken help guide Diana, Princess of Wales, on her final humanitarian trip to Bosnia to meet with a range of landmine survivors and their families. In 2004, Rutherford was inducted into the University of Colorado Hall of Fame for distinguished alumni.  Dr. Rutherford currently serves on the board of directors of Survivor Corps (www.survivorcorps.org)  (Washington, D.C.) and board of experts at the Center for Unconventional Security Affairs (http://www.cusa.uci.edu) at the University of California at Irvine. In 2005, Dr. Rutherford served on a State Department Fulbright Fellowship in Jordan, where he was appointed to the faculty at the University of Jordan in Amman. He taught International Politics and researched Jordan’s leadership role in the Arab in alleviating the negative effects of landmine use and promoting the rights and dignity of people with disabilities.  He is the author of the book Humanitarianism Under Fire: The US and UN Intervention in Somalia (Kumarian Press, 2008).

October 09, 2009, 1:26pm   Comments