About IMAD
On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
It called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the civilian population, or an impediment to social and economic development at the national and local levels.
For over 20 years, the work of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has been driven by the needs of affected people and tailored to the threat of explosive hazards faced by civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarians.
UNMAS works to save lives, to facilitate deployment of UN missions and the delivery of humanitarian assistance, to protect civilians, to support the voluntary return of the internally displaced and refugees, to enable humanitarian and recovery activities and to advocate for international humanitarian and human rights law.
Resolution: Document Viewer
Learn more: https://www.un.org/en/observances/mine-awareness-day
IMAD 2026 Digital Assets: https://trello.com/b/Zzaz8GpK/imad-2026x
Read article: International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action – 4 April 2026
Digital exhibition: Signs of Safety
Secretary-General Message for IMAD 2026
"Landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices exact a devastating toll on civilians, especially children. As conflicts multiply and military spending skyrockets, these dangers are deepening.
These weapons do not disappear when the fighting is over. They lurk in fields in Colombia, Ethiopia, Lebanon and Myanmar; amid the rubble in Gaza; and in communities across Syria. They kill thousands each year and injure a great many more – often long after conflict ends.
Mine action plays a critical role in places where peace is fragile, the humanitarian response urgent, and development precarious. It allows the UN and its partners to work in greater safety and enables ravaged communities to recover and rebuild.
On this International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, I call on all Member States to join and adhere to the relevant instruments – including the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention – and urge those that have withdrawn to rejoin. Failing to preserve these vital instruments will only weaken civilian protections and add to the 100 million innocent lives already in peril.
This year’s theme – “Invest in peace, Invest in mine action” – highlights the need to accelerate mine clearance, enhance risk education, expand victim assistance, reduce weapons stockpiles and advocate for a mine-free world.
We must eradicate the threat posed by these weapons – so all people everywhere can live in safety and with hope."
Read Secretary-General Message for IMAD 2026 in Arabic/Chinese/English/French/German/Russian/Spanish
Event at United Nations Headquarters
Film Festival
*This event is by invitation
🕓 April 1, 2026, 17.45 - 19.30 ET
📍Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations
1 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 35th Floor
885 2nd Avenue, between 47th and 48th Street New York, NY 10017
Watch Here
Ethiopia & Sudan: Mine Action - Press Conference
UNMAS Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Beyond - Press Conference
Events Around the World
Central African Republic
3 April 2026 (08:30 – 12:00):
Official inauguration of the ANMAA premises and Open Day, to mark its operationalization.
2 April 2026 (10:00 – 12:00):
Workshop/panel discussion focused on Victim Assistance, bringing together national authorities, partners, and civil society actors.
Media engagement:
Radio broadcasts and awareness-raising programmes will be conducted on national stations.
Visibility and communication campaign:
- Recording and dissemination of radio spots during the week of 23 March 2026
- Public billboards/display panels across Bangui from 30 March to 27 April 2026
Colombia
- 4 April
- Start of MAC's digital campaign, in which we will be participating — haven't received the content yet.
- 8 AprilPanel discussion and photo exhibition (pillars of Mine Action) for National Day of Remembrance and Solidarity with the Victims of the Armed Conflict. Initiative of two NGOs of the Mine Action sector. UNMAS will probably participate and contribute photos.
- 10 April
- Event and exhibition regarding 4 April, co-organized by the national mine action sector and UNMAS.
Commemorative Gathering: Memory and Action Against Anti-Personnel Mines, a solemn space for reflection, recognition, and awareness about the humanitarian impact of these devices in Colombia. - 15 AprilLaunch of our technical paper on weaponized drones, event at UN House.
- Launch date tbdRelaunch of UNMAS-led radio and social media campaign on humanitarian access to promote humanitarian access and respect for the work of mine action organizations in Colombia.
Ethiopia
7 April: Physical (3:00 pm)
• Flag Day- for Incoming members of Council
• Engagement with AU Commission Chairperson
• Exhibition: International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
8 April: Physical Open session on Hate Crimes and fighting Genocide Ideology in Africa.
9 April: Virtual Consideration of the situation in Central African Republic.
14 April: CoE (Virtual: 3:00 pm) Preparation for the PSC Ministerial Session on Artificial Intelligence: Governance, Peace and Security in Africa.
16 April: Ministerial (Virtual: 12p.m) Artificial Intelligence: Governance, Peace and Security in Africa.
18 April: PSC Visit to the Ethiopian AI Institute and Science and technology museum.
20 April: Virtual (4:00 pm) Briefing by the A3 on its activities.
21 April: CoE - Physical Preparation for the:
• PSC CoE Capacity Building
• 5th Annual Joint Retreat PSC/APRM
23-25 April: Field Mission to South Sudan
27 April: Physical
• Open Session on Peace Support Operations in Africa
• Consideration of the PSC Field Mission Report to South Sudan
29-30 April: 5th Annual Joint Retreat between the PSC & APRM- Kuriftu Africa Village
Iraq
1- Photo exhibition in collaboration with the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA) in Erbil.
2- Publishing the UNMAS Iraq Annual Report.
3- "Thank you" social media campaign to our donors.
Somalia
Interactive Mine Awareness Event inside UNSOS Camp (5 April): Since 4 April falls on a Saturday, we will host an interactive showcase at the UNSOS camp on Sunday, 5 April (10:00 am – 3:00 pm). Supported by a mission-wide broadcast, our teams will demonstrate mine action tools and share expertise on our mandate.
Multimedia Content: We are finalizing a video featuring our Explosive Detection Dogs and the CMAP. We expect to share this with your team for cross-platform publishing within the next few days.
Digital Coverage: In partnership with UNSOS Public Information team, we will produce a dedicated webpage article and social media posts following the event. We will also distribute our own internal content on the day of the observance.
South Sudan
International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
🕓 Thursday, 2 April 2026
📍 Pyramid Hotel, Juba
⏳ 09:00 – 12:00
Learn more about International Mine Awareness Days in previous years.