In the video recorded prior to the International Mine Awareness Day to draw attention to the demining action in the eastern borders of Turkey, European Champion national gymnast Ferhat Arıcan highlights the similarity between demining activities and gymnastics in respect of concentration, dedication, balance and orientation skills.

Ankara, 2 April 2021 – The project aiming to contribute to socioeconomic development through demining and increasing border surveillance capacity at the eastern borders of Turkey collaborated with the national gymnast Ferhat Arıcan immediately prior to 4^th April International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.

Underlining in the video the similarities between gymnasts and deminers on activities that require concentration and selfless effort, Arıcan noted that demining action called for higher attention, sensitivity and superhuman effort, and said: “We, professional gymnasts, take to the gymnastics mat to perform a flawless series. When we err, we lose our shot at the medal. On the other hand, there are occupations where your first error is your ultimate one. I congratulate all those working in demining operations in Turkey and in the world who engage in work with no tolerance for error and dedicate their lives to a flawless series, and am grateful to them for their contribution to a mine-free world and Turkey.”

The United Nations declared in 2005 that 4 April of each year to be observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. Having killed and injured many civilians to date in the world, anti-personnel landmines represent a border control tool very cheap to manufacture but highly costly clear.

Pursuant to the Ottawa Convention, adopted in Ottawa in 1997 and signed by Turkey in 2004, anti-personnel landmines placed along countries’ borders must be removed. States Parties to the Ottawa Convention deployed humanitarian border surveillance systems replacing the anti-personnel landmines that did not discriminate targets and could remain active for years.

Under the Convention, Turkey terminated the manufacture of anti-personnel landmines, disposed of stockpiles, banned their transport through its land and sea borders, and engaged in providing training to civilian people on mines and mine-related risks. In addition, Turkey passed legislation for mine victims and improved their living conditions.

Relying on a funding of over 42 million Euro from the European Union (EU) and global humanitarian demining expertise of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the project supports the Government of Turkey in clearing the mined areas along the eastern borders of Turkey, disposing of removed mines and installing modern border control systems.

Launched in 2015, the project has to date cleared 46,000 mines on a land of 4.7 million m2, and released the cleared areas along the eastern borders of Turkey.

The project has also increased employment opportunities for local people by recruiting and training them as demining workers; and contributed to controlling illegal migration and cross-border criminal activities through enhanced border security and surveillance capacity.

The goal is to clear 82,000 more mines on 4.2 million m2 of land by 2023, and release the cleared land for agriculture and livestock husbandry in the long run.

With contributions from the Government of Turkey, training on mines and unexploded ordnance will be provided to the local people in more than 900 villages in the proximity of mined areas as another component of the project in collaboration with non-governmental organizations.

• Click here to watch the video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_rkySZsytQ
• Click here to download the video in broadcast quality: https://bit.ly/31CUGZM
• Click here to watch Ferhat Arıcan’s personal message video: https://bit.ly/3cHeYHR
• Click here to watch “Danger Mines” mines launched in April 2019:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4ZZ7FYUySI

About Ferhat Arıcan: Most recent European Champion, and among top three gymnasts on the parallel bars in the world, and Turkey Champion since 2008. Arıcan’s national champion title for 12 consecutive years is one of the longest in Turkish sports history. Arıcan holds four World Cups to his credit. He is the inventor of two moves in the gymnastics literature named after him. Arıcan participated in 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and will represent Turkey again in 2021 Tokyo.

About the Project: Border management is a priority area for Turkey’s accession to EU. As Turkey’s eastern borders are to become the Union’s external borders, a comprehensive border management is obviously important. However, landmines in the region pose a serious threat. The project “Socioeconomic Development through Demining and Increasing the Border Surveillance Capacity at the Eastern Borders of Turkey” was developed in 2014 and commenced in 2015 for this purpose. Funded by EU, the project is the first partnership ever among UNDP, Ministry of National Defense, Turkish General Staff and Ministry of Interior on demining. Actively engaged in mine action since 1996, the Government of Turkey established in 2015 the National Mine Action Centre (TURMAC) under the Ministry of National Defense. TURMAC is the key beneficiary of the project, with the Border Management Department of Ministry of Interior as a project stakeholder. Established in 2008 and a sub-unit of the General Directorate for Provincial Administrations, the Border Management Department is in charge of Integrated Border Management (IBM). The end beneficiary of the project is all the people affected by the presence of landmines along the eastern borders of Turkey including civilian people, security forces and public personnel. Under the project, training was provided to more than 500 personnel of TURMAC, Land Forces Command and Ministry of Interior. Cleared lands will be certified to national and international standards to allow installation of effective humanitarian border control systems.

For more information: Faik Uyanık, UNDP Turkey Communications Officer, faik.uyanik@undp.org