Sir Bobby Charlton and former BBC war correspondent Martin Bell were among the guests at MAG headquarters last night to celebrate the charity’s 20th anniversary.
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"Unless it is dealt with, the curse of unexploded ordnance and landmines will haunt people’s children and grandchildren for many years to come"- Former BBC war correspondent Martin Bell OBE addresses guests. |
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MAG Technical Advisor Phil Halford explains the workings of an anti-personnel landmine to guests, including former England footballer Sir Bobby Charlton (right). |
Co-hosted by Greater Manchester High Sheriff Christian Wewer, the event began with a presentation from MAG patron Martin Bell, who spoke about the lifesaving work MAG does:
“Unless it is dealt with, the curse of unexploded ordnance and landmines will haunt people’s children and grandchildren for many years to come.
"Besides taking mines out of the ground MAG teaches children landmine awareness as, in at least 20 countries, this is the most important thing for them to learn before they can even walk.
“I firmly believe that good things happen because people make them happen and bad things happen because people let them happen. MAG makes good things happen.”
MAG’s directors and staff met some of the region’s mayors, including Lord Mayor of Manchester Councillor Alison Firth, leading business figures and journalists during the celebration of 20 years of vital clearance operations in some of the world’s most volatile countries.
Committing himself to supporting MAG throughout his tenure, High Sheriff Christian Wewer challenged invitees to turn “Manchester’s best kept secret into Manchester’s best known story” in a speech about raising MAG’s profile in the region.
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Chief Executive of MAG Lou McGrath OBE set up the organisation’s first office in a caravan in Cockermouth with his brother in 1989, after witnessing the horrific impact on people from landmines in Afghanistan.
Just before her death in August 1997, MAG had been working with Princess Diana to raise awareness of the terror caused by remnants of conflict to communities all over the world struggling to recover from war.
MAG, which has always been based in the northwest of England, also became co-laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for helping bring about the Mine Ban Treaty, which banned the manufacture and use of anti-personnel landmines.
Your donation to MAG helps us to move into current and former conflict zones so that communities who have suffered from remnants of conflict can continue to rebuild their lives and secure their livelihoods.
Conflict Recovery: an introduction to MAG
18 September 09
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