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UWinnipeg Goes to the Dog

In celebration of raising the funds to purchase Wesley – the mine sniffing dog

June 23, 2009

 

WINNIPEG, MB – Over a dozen dogs flooded UWinnipeg’s front lawn this morning to celebrate the purchase of their colleague Wesley, UWinnipeg’s mine-sniffing dog. The University has successfully raised more than the $15,360 to purchase Wesley through Global College.

Direct Result of The No Landmine Symposium
The Wesley initiative was a direct result of The No Landmine Symposium that took place in November 2007 commemorating the 10^th Anniversary marking the signing of the Ottawa Treaty.

Local Action to Make Global Change
Children in Bosnia, far from Canada, will soon be able to walk safely – thanks to the fundraising efforts of volunteers at UWinnipeg, who decided they would take local action to make global change”, explained Marilou McPhedran, Principal of Global College. “Mine-sniffing dogs like Wesley are precious, carefully tended guardians, assisting in clearing landmines and returning the land to innocent people in war-affected countries. I would like to thank everyone who gave – from schoolchildren to grandparents - making this important and life-saving initiative possible.”

This summer Wesley will be bought in Europe and trained by the Canadian International Deming Corporation (CIDC), in Bosnia, the country he will be working in. Once Wesley completes his training, he will start his life saving work by summer 2010.

Global College Fosters Global Citizenship
UWinnipeg’s Global College fosters global citizenship and engagement in human rights through interdisciplinary teaching, research, dialogue, and action
in local and global communities. http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/global-college-index

CIDC, is a non-profit organization based in Nova Scotia that helps eradicate the world of landmines in many countries. CIDC is working to integrate counter-mine measures with sustainable development and community reconstruction initiatives in areas suffering the aftermath of war in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. http://www.cidc.ws/home.html

The Canadian Landmine Foundation (CLMF) is non-profit organization that raises awareness and funds to end the human and economic suffering caused by anti-personnel landmines. CLMF has a strong history of building significant partnerships for mine action and of reminding Canadians of the international leadership provided by the Government of Canada. CLMF was a founding partner in the global Adopt-A-Minefield Campaign. Visit http://www.canadianlandmine.org/about.cfm for more information.

Visit Wesley for more information and updates.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Naniece Ibrahim, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg

P: 204.988.7130, E: n.ibrahim@uwinnipeg.ca

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