Celebrating 20 Years of U.S.-Slovenian Collaboration on Humanitarian Demining Efforts Page URL copied to clipboard!

On September 28th, the Embassy of Slovenia and the National Museum of American Diplomacy celebrated 20 years of American support for the Slovenian government-led nonprofit organization ITF Enhancing Human Security (ITF). ITF is dedicated to reducing threats from landmines and other explosive remnants of war and to facilitating safety and long-term development in conflict-affected communities.

President Borut Pahor of Slovenia, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Elisabeth Millard gave remarks followed by a reception. A photo exhibit accompanied the event. The exhibit highlighted ITF’s work around the world.

ITF was formed in 1998 to help Bosnia and Herzegovina implement the Dayton Peace Agreement.  Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Slovenian Foreign Minister Boris Frlec agreed to its establishment as a key component of the peace settlement. This placed the war-torn region on the road to recovery by clearing landmines and assisting landmine survivors in the wake of the 1992-1995 Bosnian War.

With the early support of the United States, ITF has grown over the past 20 years to operate in 31 countries around the world. It has cleared more than 139 million square meters of mine-affected land, protected civilians in fragile and recovering states, and opened a path to stability and prosperity.