Mine Awareness Day on the Hill: A Unified Call for Action

On April 7th, 2025, the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) participated in Mine Awareness Day on the Hill, joining colleagues from across the mine action community to raise awareness about the ongoing threat of landmines and promote continued U.S. support for demining programs. Participating organizations included The HALO Trust, Mines Advisory Group (MAG), PeaceTrees Vietnam, Humanity & Inclusion, the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR), and APOPO.

MLI staff - (from left) Indre Sabaliunaite, Anne Wooleyhand, Elise Becker, and Eden Slater pose with K9 Ambassador Rico on Capitol Hill.

K9 Ambassador Rico strikes a pose with Representative Brian Mast.

MLI was pleased to stand alongside these dedicated partners to highlight the urgent need for global mine action. Events like this are a valuable opportunity to inform and engage policymakers and demonstrate the impact of ongoing efforts to clear landmines and other explosive remnants of war.

The event featured remarks from UXO/Demining Caucus Co-Chairs, Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and David Valadao (R-CA), both of whom emphasized the importance of sustained bipartisan support for demining initiatives. Congressman Brian Mast (R-FL) also spoke, reinforcing the strategic and humanitarian value of U.S. engagement in mine action efforts worldwide.

"Just a real dog hanging out with a robo-dog!"

Live demonstrations were a key component of the program. APOPO showcased one of its trained mine detection rats, followed by the Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate's presentation of a robotic "Robo Dog" used in testing next-generation detection tools.

MLI’s K9 Ambassador, Mine Detection Dog (MDD) Rico, concluded the demonstrations with a mine detection exercise, illustrating the essential role highly trained dogs play in humanitarian demining operations. Rico has participated in numerous outreach and education events and serves as an effective ambassador for the life-saving work that MDDs carry out around the world.

Anne Wooleyhand leads K9 Ambassador Rico through a landmine sniffing demonstration - showing how MDDs sniff out explosive powder and sit to indicate when they find a landmine.

As an active member of the global demining community, MLI remains committed to supporting events like Mine Awareness Day on the Hill that foster dialogue, encourage collaboration, and help build momentum for meaningful, sustained action on this critical issue.