Pyramid of Shoes

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Pyramid of Shoes

14th October 2006, Hyde Park

The 2006 Pyramid of Shoes was a great success, helping to raise awareness and understanding of cluster bomb issues while collecting nearly 1,000 signatures for Handicap International's petition to put an end to cluster bombs. This year's Pyramid of Shoes paid particular attention to the repercussions of the recent use of cluster bombs in Southern Lebanon.

The United Kingdom is currently producing, stockpiling and trading cluster bombs and has used them in recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to the United Nations, it could take several years to clear the 100,000 cluster bomblets that failed to explode in Southern Lebanon in the recent conflict. That’s approximately 100,000 potential victims, in a country with 3.8 million people.

Taking place on a sunny Saturday in Hyde Park, the event was filled with interactive exhibits, live entertainment and experts showcasing their work. The professional bomb clearance experts demonstrating their painstaking skills drew particular attention from the crowd. The live music and entertainment by the G's, The Spider’s Web Storytellers and Malinke Rhythm (presented by Live Music Now!), kept people engaged and entertained throughout the day.

(c)Sophie Laslett for Handicap International

This year’s event was attended by Frank Cook MP, Susan Kramer MP, Simon Conway (Director of Landmine Action) and Kevin Bryant (Handicap International’s Senior Technical Advisor on Explosive Ordnance Devices). The group’s enthusiasm and commitment to an international ban on cluster bombs was readily apparent.

Frank Cook expressed his reasons for being at the event and his commitment to the issue of cluster bombs. “Cluster bombs are evil in their concept and evil in their use”.

Susan Kramer agreed, vocalizing that “It is an outrage that cluster bombs are used in any current war including Lebanon. Any military person I have talked to says they are of minimal use in the military perspective. All they do is kill civilians. We are going for a full ban on these weapons.”

The day’s events would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of all the volunteers involved.

For additional pictures of the event, please visit our picture gallery.

What can YOU do now?

• Sign the petition online
• Tell all your friends and relatives about the petition and ask them to sign it too.