As Colombian Red Cross volunteers working with International Humanitarian Law (IHL), we have had to face ourselves when people wonder why sometimes theory seems so far away from reality. We have worked in many places affected by the armed conflict and we have experienced both the physic and mental people`s suffering. But proudly we can say that we have been “in the field” helping in different ways, by educating and disseminating IHL -what must be our main tool- and providing with technical and logistic resources.

Now, being Youth Delegates in Norway, the picture has changed completely. Something special happened in Oslo last week during the Cluster Munitions Convention. We were not in front of the TV watching the signing of a new treaty, which we would know about soon, this time we were part of the news!  A different “field” had been prepared for us; same serious and important responsibility but not only for our country but for all the voices urging ban of these weapons that destroy lives and dreams.

Mission of the day for Sandra Milena and John Freddy: Inform about Cluster Munitions, smile and give "pepperkaker".

Outside the signing room

There were many stands in the big hall. School children were the first visitors.

Following the atmosphere of celebration considering what the Signing of the Convention represents both for the states and the society, many other organizations besides the Red Cross worked together showing and sensitizing the community about Cluster Munitions effects, and specially informing about the current situation of the victims, their treatments and their recovering.

It was really encouraging seeing all age groups participating in the stands, taking the available material (cd-rooms, books, brochures, pictures, t-shirts, and more…), and the most important; adopting a new conscience about the meaning of a Cluster Bomb.

Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross visits the Red Cross Youth stand.

The mission has not finished yet, there is a new challenge that implies to reach more people and to contribute with the dissemination and the awareness regardless of the context in which we are.