The Roots of Peace organization has declared its strong support for the International Eurasia Press Fund's (IEPF) initiative to recognize landmines as the 18th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). This important proposal was discussed during an online joint meeting held under the "Mine-Free World Initiative" project, supported by the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ednews informs.

Heidi Kuhn, founder and head of Roots of Peace, spoke at the meeting, emphasizing the critical need to address the landmine problem in Azerbaijan and its broader global implications. Recalling her visit to a minefield in Azerbaijan-Karabakh in March 2022, Kuhn highlighted the severe impact of landmines on communities, particularly as the Russian-Ukrainian war unfolded.

"As the world turns its attention to Azerbaijan, we must amplify the voices of those who live in war zones and risk their lives daily to harvest their crops. However, it is crucial to recognize that the implementation of the existing 17 SDGs cannot proceed without first clearing these territories of landmines," Kuhn stated. "We understand that the adoption of the 18th SDG is a challenging process, but it is a necessary one."

Kuhn also shared harrowing stories from landmine-affected regions, where women must tread carefully through fields to gather fruit, often risking their lives. "These are terrible stories, and we are witnessing them unfold in real-time," she said. "Every fruit tree planted in place of a landmine not only feeds future generations but also helps combat climate change by storing carbon and replenishing the Earth's lungs."

Looking ahead to the COP29 global conference in Baku this November, Kuhn expressed optimism about Roots of Peace and IEPF's participation. She highlighted their plans to advocate for the recognition of landmines as the 18th SDG during the event.

"We eagerly anticipate our involvement in COP29," Kuhn said. "Together with our partner IEPF, we plan to have a pavilion where we can share our peace mission with world leaders and rally support for the 18th SDG, as we have done in our previous appeal to the UN Secretary-General. I am confident that, alongside Umud Mirzayev, we will make significant progress toward this goal at COP29."

The online meeting was attended by IEPF's partners, mine action experts, representatives from the UN offices in Geneva and Istanbul, as well as guests from the USA and Europe.