PSALM students acted as hosts and guides as their “Road to Ottawa” opened with a reception for the public on February 2nd at the Monongalia Arts Center in Morgantown, West Virginia. West Virginia television and print media attended as students welcomed over 150 guests. The exhibit will be on display until February 24th.
PSALM students, inspired by the people that “made it happen” and the continuing work to “finish the job” of a landmine-free world chose countries that signed the Mine Ban Treaty in 1997 painted artworks to celebrate this amazing achievement in disarmament history.
PSALM’s art installation was designed to remind viewers of the importance of civil society in ensuring a more just and peaceful world for all.
Chair sculptures both small and large are a nod to HI’s “Broken Chair” in Geneva. The sculptures are dedicated to the many campaigners, survivors and advocates who worked tirelessly to travel the “Road to Ottawa” and see through a new humanitarian treaty that, to this day, continues to save countless lives. Our work is not over until all are safe…a MINE FREE WORD IS POSSIBLE.
Mr. Steve Costner from the U.S. State Department of weapons Abatement and Removal attended the exhibit to distribute “To Walk the Earth in Safety” Report on U.S. funding of landmine removal. The Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/WRA) works with foreign governments and nongovernmental organizations to deliver programs and services aimed at reducing the harmful effects of at-risk, illicitly proliferated, and indiscriminately used conventional weapons of war worldwide.
Ms. Elise Becker from Marshall Legacy Institute also attended to help PSALM educate others about MLI. Marshall legacy Institute the donates highly trained landmine detection dogs to mine-affected countries and trains local handlers to safely use these dogs to find landmines. PSALM students hosted a bake sale to raise funds for MLI in hopes of saving lives.
