Michael Douglas backs fight against land mines

Actor Michael Douglas, Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, singer-songwriter Moby and Angola’s first lady had the same mission yesterday – promoting the first international day to spotlight global efforts to get rid of millions of land mines in 82 countries.

Douglas presented Adopt-A-Minefield’s humanitarian award to Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the United Nations at a lavish fundraising dinner at the UN Headquarters in New York cooked by five famous chefs who donated their services and helped raise thousands of dollars for the organisation.

“The United Nations is the leading international body working to make the problem of land mines a history lesson for our children,” said the Oscar-winning actor who campaigns for disarmament as a UN Messenger for Peace.

He praised Annan for campaigning to remove land mines and rebuild war-torn countries.

“Tens of thousands of lives have been saved and millions more improved as a result of the decision and commitment of this man and the inspiration that he leads,” Douglas told the VIP crowd.