During the busy opening week of the 70th General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, held a Ministerial level reception to bring attention to the devastation caused by landmines and other explosive hazards, and the challenges faced by the United Nations and Member States to eliminate these threats. The reception brought together a varied group of affected countries, donor states and high-ranking United Nations officials. Also participating was British actor Daniel Craig, the UN Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards.
The master of ceremony was Ms. Cristina Gallach, the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, who introduced a Public Service Announcement made by Mr. Craig to promote the importance of mine action work as a precondition for the implementation of the sustainable development goals that were formally adopted by all members of the United Nations only hours before the reception.