Adopt-A-Minefield, UNA-USA, Becomes the official Chair of the United States Campaign to Ban Landmines !

Adopt-A-Minefield, UNA-USA, Becomes the official Chair of the United States Campaign to Ban Landmines !

March 7, 2007 — New York, NY The United Nations Association of the USA's (UNA-USA) program, Adopt-A-Minefield®, became the official chair of the United States Campaign to Ban Landmines. Zach Hudson, program director for UNA-USA's Adopt-A-Minefield Campaign, will represent the organization as its new chair.

The US Campaign to Ban Landmines (USCBL) is a coalition of approximately 500 US-based human rights, faith-based, medical, environmental and other organizations dedicated to a total ban on antipersonnel landmines.  It is one of 90 country campaigns that constitute the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. 

"This is a great opportunity for UNA-USA and its Adopt-A-Minefield Campaign to continue to provide its leadership and expertise on this very important issue," stated Nahela Hadi, senior vice president of UNA-USA and head of the organizations humanitarian campaigns. "Zach Hudson has been a tireless advocate for Adopt-A-Minefield and its partners in generating support for clearing and banning landmines. His appointment as chair will be a tremendous asset to the coordinated efforts of everyone involved in not only banning landmines, but providing assistance to those victimized by landmines."

The goals of the USCBL include achieving universal ratification, implementation and monitoring of the Mine Ban Treaty, and increasing visibility for mine awareness programs and for landmine victim rehabilitation. As the new campaign chair, Hudson will be responsible for working closely with the partner organizations in implementing the shared goals and activities of USCBL. 

"Among the campaign's main priorities are increasing awareness and outreach opportunities in support of the campaign, working with Congress to promote legislation to ban landmines, and educating Americans about landmines and survivor assistance programs," said Hudson.  "Currently, we are working to urge Congress to support a new ban on landmine production, including efforts to eliminate cluster munitions. By joining together in a coordinated effort, the organizations comprising USCBL are able to increase both awareness and fundraising efforts to clear and ban landmines throughout the world."

To learn more about the work of the USCBL, visit www.banminesusa.org, or email AAM Program Manager Zach Hudson at zhudson@unausa.org.