Photo: Office of the President of the Republic of Slovenia
Field Training Demonstration at a Mine Action Training Site
ITF Enhancing Human Security supports the work of the Ukrainian organization “Unconquered,” which trains victims of explosive remnants of war, military veterans, police officers, rescue personnel, and their family members to become deminers. The current training activities are supported through a donation from the Republic of Korea, while Slovenia has also contributed to the program in the past.
Publish date Ukraine,
Dr. Aleš Musar, a member of the ITF Board of Trustees, together with ITF Director Tomaž Lovrenčič, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Ukraine Mateja Prevolšek, and other members of the delegation, attended a field training demonstration at a mine action training site near Kyiv.
Humanitarian demining is a demanding and dangerous profession that requires exceptional training, discipline, and concentration. The need for demining in Ukraine is immense, as the area contaminated by mines and explosive remnants of war is estimated to be seven times the size of Slovenia. Every trained deminer who participates in clearing contaminated land contributes directly to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.
The current group of trainees consists primarily of family members of war victims. In his conversations with them, Dr. Musar expressed his gratitude for their willingness to undertake such dangerous work, while they shared the personal reasons that had motivated them to join the training program.
Particularly moving were the stories of young widows of fallen Ukrainian defenders who have chosen to contribute to the rebuilding of their country by helping clear contaminated land. Every mine removed means one less potential victim.
