Prince Harry has urged the world to become free of land mines by 2025.
The 32-year-old royal is following in the footsteps of his late mother Princess Diana – who was tragically killed in a car crash almost 20 years ago – by campaigning for one of her most famous causes in ridding the world of land mines.
On Tuesday (04.04.17) Harry hosted a reception at Kensington Palace to mark International Mine Awareness Day, where it was revealed the UK would be tripling its financial backing and donating a whopping £100 million of government funding toward aiding the cause.
International Development Secretary Priti Patel said the extra funding would be used to clear the equivalent of more than 20,000 football pitches, and help more than 800,000 live their lives free of land mines.
Speaking about the funding – which is set to be donated over the next three years – Priti said: "We are here tonight because we recognise that landmines are a global scourge that must be tackled.
"Global Britain has a historic role in tackling the indiscriminate and lethal legacy of landmines. That role was, of course, embodied by the efforts of His Royal Highness’ late Mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
"Twenty years ago she brought landmines to the world’s attention with her courageous walk through an Angolan mine field."
The reception at the London palace came as Prince Harry recognised the contribution his mother made to the signing of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty in Ottawa in 1997, which 80 per cent of countries have gone on to endorse.
A statement from Kensington Palace read: "In the year marking the 20th anniversary of the Princess’s death, Prince Harry is pleased to have this moment to recognise the significant contribution his mother made in this field, the progress which has been made by the Mines Advisory Group, the Hazardous Areas Life-Support Organisation, the UK Government and other organisations, and the opportunity to continue raising awareness of making the world land mine-free by 2025."
Prince Harry urges mine free world
