Credit: HI
On Tuesday 13 October 2026, Handicap International Luxembourg reported on its annual Solidarity Pyramid event, held on Saturday 10 October 2026 at Place d'Armes in Luxembourg-Ville, which demonstrated the devastating consequences of the use of explosive weapons and the impact of the NGO's missions.
According to the NGO, anti-personnel mines are explosive devices concealed in the ground and designed to detonate when a person comes into contact with them. Their original purpose is to injure or maim rather than kill, in order to overwhelm healthcare systems and demoralise the enemy. What is not necessarily known is that an anti-personnel mine does not distinguish between a soldier and a civilian, or between an adult and a child. Among victims of explosive weapons, 90% are civilians, 46% of whom are children.
The NGO noted that nearly thirty years after the adoption of the Ottawa Treaty, which prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and export of anti-personnel mines, this international standard is being questioned and weakened. Since 2025, several states have announced their withdrawal from the treaty. Poland and Finland plan to resume the production of landmines, something not seen in Europe for nearly 50 years. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have declared their intention to acquire new stocks of anti-personnel mines. These withdrawals come at a time when the number of anti-personnel mine casualties is already increasing worldwide.
It was against this backdrop that Handicap International held its Solidarity Pyramid event on Saturday at Place d'Armes, in the centre of Luxembourg City. The NGO introduced visitors to the different aspects of its expertise and the missions it carries out. Several new features were introduced at this year's event. A new immersive video offered a practical illustration of the impact of anti-personnel mines, international experts were present to explain their missions, and an interactive exhibition immersed visitors in the daily lives of Ukrainians.
The shoe pyramid also returned. Shoes had already been placed at various strategic locations across Luxembourg City from Friday 9 October 2026, representing the lives disrupted by anti-personnel mines, whose victims often lose a limb following an explosion. Members of the public were invited to contribute to this symbolic initiative by bringing their shoes to help build the pyramid.
The organisation reported that the various initiatives attracted visitors on Saturday, with large crowds gathering at Place d'Armes. The Handicap International team collected 400 kg of shoes, gathered 776 signatures for its petition, welcomed 200 students and representatives of partner companies, as well as more than 900 visitors.
Léa Weis, Global Citizenship Education Officer, welcomed the response: "Every year, this represents a major investment by the entire team, and we are delighted to see that our efforts have been rewarded. It was a successful edition, with renewed public interest in issues related to the consequences of the use of anti-personnel mines."
