Student Group Collecting Shoes to Raise Awareness about Landmines
Passersby may have noticed a striking exhibit behind the glass windows of the display case that lines the corridor that connects the Kresge Building to Building I. Several pairs of shoes sit atop a shelf amid signs explaining their symbolism. They are part of an effort to raise awareness of the lives and limbs lost to landmines each year around the world. The display was mounted by the Health and Human Rights Student Group.
To
help eliminate the use of landmines, nearly 140 countries have signed
the Mine Ban Treaty since 1997, but the United States has declined. To
help spotlight the issue, the HSPH student group is collecting shoes for
the display. HSPH members may donate new or used shoes via a collection
bin in the Kresge atrium. The Kresge display will become part of a larger
one sponsored by the US Campaign to Ban Landmines (USCBL) in Washington,
DC this spring. When the exhibit is dismantled, the shoes will be donated
to charity.
On Thursday, October 19, Gina Coplon-Newfield, coordinator for the USCBL, and Eileen Campbell, USCBL student organizer, will speak from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in FXB G-12. They will offer advocacy and background information on landmines, emphasizing medical and public health effects.
Contact Josh Bloom at jbloom@hsph.harvard.edu
for more information.
