BRUSSELS, 1 April 2026 — Handicap International – Humanity and Inclusion (HI) and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) today launch The Nobel Piece, a global campaign aimed at regaining political support for the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. In times of war and conflict, this Treaty is increasingly under pressure. The campaign launch coincides with International Mine Awareness Day on the 4th of April.
The campaign uses a replica of the same Nobel Peace Prize awarded in 1997 to the ICBL, of which HI was a founding member, in recognition of their efforts to secure the world’s first comprehensive ban on an entire category of conventional weapons.
Today, HI and ICBL symbolically break the replica into pieces and send them worldwide to governments and policymakers as a reminder of their commitments. The campaign asks a clear question: how are you contributing to peace and the protection of civilians?
Five Pieces for Five Treaty-breakers
The first five pieces of the Nobel Peace Prize are sent to the countries that have withdrawn from the Mine Ban Treaty. These countries (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland) are directly responsible for the “breaking” of the Nobel Prize.
Laura Lodenius, representative of the Finnish Campaign to Ban Landmines:
“This is not a political discussion for me. It is personal. Landmines do not bring security. They extend suffering. They do not end wars — they continue them for decades. If you bring landmines back to your countries, you are bringing danger to your own civilians. You are condemning communities to decades of fear and poverty. And you are undoing the progress that took generations to build.”
For Allies of the Treaty
Other pieces of the Nobel Prize are sent to countries and organizations that have actively supported the Treaty in recent years, such as the United Nations and the European Union. Such support is no longer automatic or unconditional. The ban on anti-personnel mines is under unprecedented pressure: mines are being redeployed in conflicts, five countries have withdrawn from the Treaty for the first time ever, and there are even illegal attempts to circumvent Treaty obligations during wartime. This demonstrates that international norms do not sustain themselves—they must be actively defended.
According to the Landmine Monitor 2025 Report, at least 6,279 people were killed or injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in 2024. This is equivalent to more than 17 people killed or severely injured every single day by antipersonnel mines. Nine out of ten were civilians, and nearly one in two civilian victims was a child. These numbers reflect both the enduring legacy of past contamination and the direct consequences of fresh use.
Nijaz Memic, landmine survivor and Paralympic athlete:
“This is not a political discussion for me. It is personal. Landmines do not bring security. They extend suffering. They do not end wars — they continue them for decades. If you bring landmines back to your countries, you are bringing danger to your own civilians. You are condemning communities to decades of fear and poverty. And you are undoing the progress that took generations to build.”
No European Funding for Banned Weapons
In the European Union, the situation is specially alarming: five EU Member States have withdrawn from the Mine Ban Treaty, and Lithuania has also withdrawn from the Convention on Cluster Munitions. At the same time, the EU’s €150 billion SAFE instrument, does not expressly exclude funding for anti-personnel mines or other banned weapons such as cluster munitions. This creates an unacceptable but real risk: that EU financial support could benefit the production or procurement of weapons prohibited under international humanitarian disarmament treaties. Poland’s stated intention to acquire up to 14.5 million anti-personnel mines illustrates exactly why such safeguards are urgently needed. HI and ICBL therefore call on the EU to ensure that EU funds do not support the production of banned weapons. The EU must draw a clear red line: no European money, direct or indirect, for internationally prohibited weapons.
Cecilia Strada, Member of the European Parliament:
“It is precisely when the winds of war blow that we must defend, even more forcefully, the Ottawa Treaty, which was created precisely to protect civilians. Leaving it will not make us stronger or safer, it will only increase the number of victims. Europe, however, is silent on the issue, and we have no guarantees that new defense funds will not be used, under any circumstances, for landmines. We must work every day to defend what was achieved almost 30 years ago.”
Continuing Belgian Pioneering Work
Belgium has historically played a leading role in protecting civilians worldwide. It was the first country to ban landmines and has signed three major international instruments the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines, the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions, and the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. To maintain this leadership, Belgium must actively uphold its commitments: condemning banned weapons, adapting military policy, protecting international norms, and continuing to support humanitarian aid.
HI and ICBL are therefore also sending a piece of the Nobel Prize to Prime Minister De Wever, Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot, and Minister of Defense Theo Francken.
Antoine Sépulchre, General Director of Handicap International Belgium:
“Nine out of ten landmines that explode affect ordinary civilians like you and me. Belgium has a strong tradition of respecting international humanitarian law and can continue to play a leading role in protecting these people. Handicap International maintains close contact with Belgian policymakers and encourages them to actively continue their commitments.”
30th Anniversary in 2027: It’s Not Too Late to Celebrate
HI and the ICBL hope to demonstrate significant progress toward this goal by the 30th anniversary of the Treaty’s adoption and of the ICBL’s Nobel Peace Prize in late 2027. If champion states, parliamentary leaders, and institutional partners can show that they have taken concrete and visible public steps to restore the integrity of the Treaty, HI and the ICBL will celebrate that success by putting the pieces of the Prize back together.
Tamar Gabelnick, Director of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL):
“The Nobel Peace Prize was not just for the ICBL. It was a prize for a movement that brought together countries, civil society organizations, the United Nations, and the Red Cross. Breaking the Nobel Prize is a call to rebuild what we have achieved together. This way, we can celebrate our 30th anniversary and all the lives we have saved during that time.”
Through The Nobel Piece campaign, HI and ICBL call on policymakers to act:
- Speak openly and clearly in support of the Mine Ban Treaty.
- Engage in dialogue with countries that have withdrawn from the Treaty.
- Stop the use of landmines and ensure that countries that have not yet signed the Treaty do so.
- As a parliamentarian or policymaker, do your job: ask questions, pass resolutions, and give a voice to landmine survivors and affected communities.
END OF PRESS RELEASE
Press Images
Images of the launch moment of the The Nobel Piece campaign are available here.
Additional Information
This press kit contains detailed information about ‘The Nobel Piece’ campaign.
Press Contact
Duarte De Munter (d.demunter@hi.org, tel: +32 478 95 47 07)
About Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion (HI)
Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion (HI) supports people with disabilities in conflict, disaster, and other vulnerable situations. The NGO works to remove barriers in society, restore independence, and advocate for an inclusive world—where every person has equal rights and opportunities, and everyone counts, with or without a disability.
About the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) is a global network in over 100 countries that works toward a world free of antipersonnel mines, where communities can live in safety and mine and ERW survivors lead fulfilling lives. The ICBL was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, the same year the Mine Ban Treaty was adopted. For further information, please visit: www.icblcmc.org/about-icbl