The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand will convene an international symposium on landmine victim assistance entitled “The Bangkok Symposium on Landmine Victim Assistance: Enhancing a Comprehensive and Sustainable Mine Action” on 14-17 June 2015 in Bangkok and Surin Province.

            The Symposium is a follow-up on the success of the previous Bangkok Symposium on Cooperation and Assistance which Thailand organised back in 2014. Thailand has been a State Party to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention since 1999 and is currently a member of the Committee on Victim Assistance under the AP Mine Ban Convention.

            The Bangkok Symposium 2015 aims at providing a forum for representatives and experts from States Parties of the AP Mine Ban Convention and other observer states, as well as international organisations and relevant non-governmental organisations, to engage in an exchange of opinion and experience regarding current status and developments of landmine victim assistance around the world. By connecting landmine victim assistance to the empowerment of persons with disabilities in general, the Symposium’s objective is to ensure full, equal and effective participation of mine victims in their societies. The Bangkok Symposium consists of two parts: a forum to exchange opinions and experiences in Bangkok and a visit to minefield in Surin Province.

            Interested participants from relevant government agencies, international organisations, and non-governmental organisations are encouraged to download the concept note and tentative programmes attached hereto. The deadline for registration is 1 June 2015.