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The humanitarian non-profit organisation Roots of Peace has announced its intention to start demining vineyards in the Mykolaiv region together with the Ukrainian Rotary E-Club. There, a large part of the vineyards had been severely damaged by Russian landmines. The organisation is also supported by Violet Grgich, president of the Californian top winery Grgich Hills Estate (Napa Valley). She works closely with the founder of Roots of Peace, Heidi Kuhn.
"Almost 30 percent of Ukraine's territory is currently contaminated with Russian mines. However, we firmly believe that with the support of Roots for Peace, demining in Ukraine can be done quickly and effectively," commented Dmytro Kushneruk, Consul General of Ukraine in San Francisco.
"I have walked across minefields all over the world, and Roots of Peace has been active in many countries, including Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan and Vietnam. Now we are taking on the minefields in Ukraine, the former breadbasket of Europe, which is covered with landmines by Russia," said Heidi Kuhn. The founder of Roots of Peace personally attended the signing of the Ottawa Treaty banning the use of anti-personnel mines in 1997. At that time, three winemakers from California were also present (Mondavi, Beringer and Wente) to support her in converting minefields into vineyards. To date, Roots of Peace has removed over 100,000 anti-personnel mines and planted around seven million fruit trees through the Mines to Vines project.
(ru / Source: Drinksbusiness; Photo: Roots of Peace)