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<title>FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF OTTAWA CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS CANADA'S COMMITMENT TO LANDMINE SURVIVORS</title>
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<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>December 3, 2001</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1">FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF OTTAWA CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS CANADA'S
COMMITMENT TO LANDMINE SURVIVORS</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley's Special Advisor on Landmines, Senator Sheila Finestone, today marked
the fourth anniversary of the signing of the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines by highlighting
Canada's commitment to landmine survivors and announcing funding for an innovative survivor assistance
project.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"I am proud that the country that provided crucial leadership in banning anti-personnel mines has, since 1998,
made more than $16.5 million in commitments to programs that will benefit landmine survivors," said Senator
Finestone. "Today, I am reaffirming Canada's commitment to landmine survivors by announcing a further
$125 000 contribution to the Landmine Survivors Network's Raising the Voices of Landmine Survivors
initiative."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Senator Finestone was joined in making her announcement by Jerry White, a landmine survivor from the U.S.
and co-founder of the Landmine Survivors Network, and Porfirio Gómez Zamora, a landmine survivor from
Nicaragua and a participant in the Raising the Voices initiative.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Launched in May 2000, Raising the Voices has enabled eight landmine survivors from five mine-affected
countries in the Americas to attend training sessions in Geneva, participate in meetings related to the Ottawa
Convention and develop advocacy projects within their home countries. The Landmine Survivors Network
anticipates that future cycles of the program will involve survivors from Africa and Asia. Total Canadian
commitments to the initiative to date exceed $345 000.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"Raising the Voices plays an important role in increasing the capacity of landmine survivors to represent,
organize and advocate on behalf of all survivors and other persons with disabilities in mine-affected countries,"
said Mr. White. "Support from the Government of Canada will help in the expansion of this program beyond its
initial base in Latin America and reinforce our efforts to highlight the human faces behind the ban on anti-personnel mines."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"Raising the Voices has enhanced my ability and that of my fellow survivors to build regional networks of
landmine survivors and raise awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities," added Mr. Zamora. "While
much work remains, this project is making a difference in deepening the participation of landmine survivors in
matters that affect us."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Senator Finestone's announcement was made at Ottawa's Karsh-Masson Gallery at the official opening of an
exhibition of photos of landmine survivors by Italian photographer Giovanni Diffidenti. The exhibition, which was
produced by UNICEF, can be viewed at the Karsh-Masson Gallery until January 5, 2002, when it will begin a
cross-country tour.</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Jennifer Sloan</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Director of Communications</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1851</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070220203354/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/"><font face="Arial">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a> </font></p>
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