12 November 2008
The Ban Bus stops in Croatia, 30 October 2008
The Ban Bus visited Zagreb on 30 October 2008. The action was organized by the Ban Bus team, with the help of two domestic non-governmental organizations - Mine Aid Croatia and Legalis. Events included a public action at Zagreb's central square where leaflets, brochures and badges were distributed, and the public could sign the Peoples' Treaty. Around 10 volunteers from Mine Aid Croatia and Legalis participated in the action. The action was also supported by many representatives of the Government, Embassies, media, IOs and NGOs among which were Dijana Pleština (Ministry Advisor for demining), Ana Marija Besker (Directorate for International Organisations and Security) and Mario Nobilo (Director for Multilateral Affairs) from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Milan Bandi?, the Zagreb Mayor, Chris Hodge from the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Representatives from the Embassy of the French Republic, Yuri Afanasiev from United Nations Development Programme, representatives from International Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims, Croatian Guide Dog Mobility Association and Mine Aid members: Mina Žunac, injured by cluster munitions during the attack on Zagreb in 1995; Mirjana Filipovi?, injured by a mine (during fishing in time of peace in Slavonski Brod, 2004.).After the public action, a Lecture at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb was held by John Rodsted from the Ban Bus, Dijana Pleština and Mine Aid Members. Interested students and citizens could hear more about cluster bombs, the Oslo process and the position of the Government of the Republic of Croatia concerning the Convention.We believe that the visit was a success because the interest for banning cluster bombs was shown by the Government, NGOs and the public.Marija Breber, Mine Aid Croatia, marijabreber@yahoo.comMario Mazic, Legalis, mazic_mario@yahoo.com Check out the Ban Bus website: http://thebanbus.org/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/banbus
