SARAJEVO – 4.4.2012   Mine Detection Dog Center in BiH (MDDC) and The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) hosted the first Mine Awareness Night to Make a Difference (MANMADE) Dinner on International Landmine Awareness Day on April 4, 2012. The MANMADE Dinner was held at Holiday Inn hotel in Sarajevo. This is a first such fundraising dinner, aimed at improving the demining efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unfortunately, BiH is still considered to be one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, and deaths and injuries to innocent civilians in recent months are tragic reminders that landmines continue to threaten our population 16 years after the war.  Mines and explosive remnants of war continue to have a significant impact on Bosnia-Herzegovina, inhibiting social, economic and agricultural development, impacting natural resources, and preventing the free movement and communication of people living in communities divided by minefields. Therefore, the proceeds from the MANMADE Dinner will support three distinct projects in communities threatened by landmines in BiH:  (1) Mine Risk Education with Sitting volleyball club Fantomi, (2) Mine victim’s assistance; and (3) Landmine Clearance project.  It is specifically important to emphasize the area that will be cleared thanks to generous donations from MANMADE donors and that is a minefield in municipality Olovo where many families with mostly minor children live at risk close to minefields who are only 100 meters away from their homes, while the presence of mines also disable proper maintenance of water tanks. More than 200 guests were present at the MANMADE dinner, mostly donors, representatives of BH authorities, diplomatic missions in BiH, IMF, EU, NATO and other international organizations, as well as individuals who purchased tickets. The dinner started with the welcome reception and cocktail, while the official part started at 7 p.m. with the opening music performance by Music School Sarajevo, followed by several speeches, by organizers and hosts of MANMADE dinner Nermin Hadžimujagić from MDDC and Perry Baltimore from MLI, then Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs of BiH Denisa Sarajlić-Maglić, and US Charge D’ Affairs Jonathan Moore. In the second part of the evening, and after the excellent  performance by the band Aida & Groove makers,  Violeta Čibukčić, Executive Director of AMCHAM BiH, Đurđa Adlešić on behalf of the Trust Croatia Without Mines, Deputy Ambassador of Croatia Maja Foretić Pećnik, and general Gordon Sullivan, founder and chairman of Marshall Legacy Institute also addressed to the audience.

The large number of donors has responded to the invitation to support the first MANMADE Dinner with their generous donations, among which we wish to emphasize following:

Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement u US State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs who will match the funds raised at the MANMADE for demining, Embassy of State of Kuwait in Bosnia and Herzegovina as Platinum sponsors, and numerous Silver sponsors such are Coca Cola HBC BiH, M-Tel, Brother and Sister Food Services, EJA Trucking, IEDC Bled School of Management, Federal Ministry of Refugees and Displaced persons, Trade Union of Electricity Workers of BiH and BH Telecom, and bronze sponsors such are CISCO Systems, HT Eronet, Ministry of Economy of canton Sarajevo, government of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and Turkish Embassy in Sarajevo. There is also a large number of Patrons and Benefactor sponsors to the MANMADE Dinner such are Sector Security, Fidelity Orthopedics, NLB Razvojna banka, Nova banka, Bosna-Sunce osiguranje, International Medical Center, UXB Balkans, NGO Pro Vita, Moja apoteka, Energoinvest and Elektroprivreda HZHB, as well as many individuals who purchased tickets for the MANMADE. It is estimated that around 120.000 KM has been raised although donations keep coming. Considering donations raised will be matched for demining part, as co-hosts of MANMADE Dinner we can proudly say that the first Mine Awareness Night To make A Difference is a huge success!

MDDC wishes to thank all the donors and participants to the MANMADE Dinner!

Organizers but also all of the donors expressed their willingness to continue with MANMADE and make it a traditional event which will not only mark the International Landmine Awareness Day, but also to continue to make a positive impact to the issue of urgent reduction of mine contamination in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We wish to emphasize again the amounts of donations:

25,000 KM PLATINUM SPONSOR

15,000 KM GOLD SPONSOR

7,000 KM SILVER SPONSOR

3,500 KM BRONZE SPONSOR

1,500 KM PATRON SPONSOR

700 KM BENEFACTOR SPONSOR

MDDC is grateful to the Embassy of the United States of America in BiH for its support in organizing MANMADE, as well as American Chamber of Commerce in BiH and ITF Enhancing Human Security.

More photos from MANMADE Dinner available in Photo Gallery