PYRAMID OF SHOES

Saturday 5th November 2005

Plymouth City Centre

Landmine Action Week

Our protest against Cluster Bombs

In partnership with Handicap International we built a great Pyramid of shoes in Plymouth City Centre on Saturday November 5th to raise awareness of the Cluster Bomb Campaign. Many schools were involved and children came to put their own shoes on the Pyramid.  Every shoe represented a limb or life lost to Cluster Bombs and Landmines, so the children learned a valuable lesson when they found that the shoes were being sent to people who had no shoes at home and abroad.  The shoes were re-distributed by the Salvation Army to where there is a need, both in this country and abroad   The Salvation Army also collected the shoes from the schools. We were interviewed on radio the day before the event and people brought shoes as a result of the broadcast and on television on Saturday evening.

The Royal Engineers’ Commando unit were present to give Landmine Clearance Demonstrations and The Lord Mayor, Vivian Pengelly, and Karen Gillard, together with other MPs and Councillors were also present at this event.

The day was a great success (helped of course by glorious weather!).  We collected 2 tonnes of shoes (approx. 4,000 pairs of shoes) and gathered almost 2,500 signatures.

Cluster bombs kill and maim thousands of people every year.

Now is your chance to make a difference. 

Every day children and adults in countries such as Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Vietnam risk their lives going to school or farming because unexploded cluster bombs represent a constant threat. To express solidarity with victims and survivors of cluster bombs, Soroptimist International and Handicap International invited children and their families to bring a pair of shoes to build a huge Pyramid of Shoes.

Each shoe will symbolise the lives and limbs lost to cluster bombs around the world.

A single cluster bomb usually contains between a dozen and a few hundred bomblets. The bombs spread their content over a very large area, ranging from the equivalent of several football pitches to several hundred hectares. When the bomblets explode they cause injury and damage, indiscriminately killing civilians and soldiers.

 In many countries accidents occur when people attempt to move unexploded cluster bombs out of economic necessity, curiosity or social responsibility. Civilians have to clear land for farming and housing or to prevent children from playing with them. In poor communities, it is common for civilians to salvage military debris for their saleable scrap metal. Their interesting shape, size, and sometimes, bright colour make cluster bombs especially attractive to children.  

The Pyramid of Shoes will represent a momentum for the Campaign to Ban Cluster Bombs, as the general public will be invited to bring a pair of shoes and sign the petition. During the day, various exhibitions will provide background information about cluster bombs and landmines.  Video screenings will offer the opportunity to understand the difficulties of living in areas affected by landmines and cluster bombs

Click here for Poster   View our Photogallery on  the day's events.

HOME