Prince William sends a message to the people of the Falkland Islands

Prince William has sent a personal message to the people of the Falkland Islands after its beaches were declared mine-free nearly four decades after the end of the Falklands War, and three years ahead of schedule.

In a moving video, shared with FIG Representative in the UK and Europe The 38-year-old Duke of Cambridge echoed the words of his mother, Princess Diana, who urged the world to ban guns during her visit to Angola in 1997, while criticizing ‘cruel weapons. and nonsense ‘used in the 1982 conflict with Argentina.

William said: ‘I am very happy to join you in marking this historic moment in which the Falkland Islands are declared mine free

“Having visited the Falklands in 2012 while serving with RAF Search and Rescue, I know how important the effort to clear the islands of mines has been.

“Landmines are cruel and senseless weapons that ruin lives and livelihoods. For many of you, particularly in Stanley, the no-go tape banning nearby beaches has become a sad and dangerous reality.

Prince William (pictured) has sent a personal message to the people of the Falkland Islands after its beaches were declared mine-free almost four decades after the end of the Falklands War, and three years ahead of schedule. .

In 1997, William’s mother, Princess Diana, was photographed in a minefield in Angola (pictured)

Therefore, this is a very significant moment for the people of the Falklands. I hope that, by forever removing these scars from the 1982 conflict, you are taking another step toward defining yourselves as the modern, communal place that you have built in the decade since.

The Duke of Cambridge also expressed personal thanks to the deminers who helped make the Falklands safe again.

He continued: ‘I would like to give a huge thank you to all those who have helped to achieve this milestone, in particular we all owe a debt of gratitude to the Zimbabwe demining staff, who have worked tirelessly for years in very difficult situations and dangerous conditions. ‘

The duke’s message comes after the last mines left by Argentine forces in Gypsy Cove and Yorke Bay were detonated, ridding the islands of a key reminder of the conflict.

During the video, Prince William expressed a personal thanks to the deminers who helped make the Falklands safe again (pictured)

In September last year, Harry highlighted the constant threat from munitions in Angola, the same nation Diana visited in 1997 to urge the world to ban guns.

Locals flocked to explore the beaches over the weekend, considered some of the most beautiful areas on the islands, which have been off-limits since 1982 when Argentina planted the mines in anticipation of a British landing in Yorke Bay that did not it materialized.

In 1997, William’s mother, Princess Diana, was photographed in Angola and said: “ If an international ban on mines can be secured, it means, looking to the future, that the world can be a safer place for grandchildren of this generation.

The mine is a stealth assassin. Long after the conflict ends, its innocent victims die or are injured individually, in countries that are little talked about. His lonely fate is never reported.

The dusty bush was marked with red warning signs showing the skull and crossbones, with the Portuguese words “Perigo Minas!” and the English translation below: dangerous mines.

In September of last year, Prince Harry followed in his late mother’s footsteps when he visited the same spot in Angola where his mother, Princess Diana, took an iconic walk through a minefield, and even paused for a solemn moment below. a tree named after him.

Some 22 years after his mother walked through the minefield and called for a global mine ban, he retraced his steps, but traversed a very different area than the one his mother experienced thanks to the work of the mine clearance charity. Halo Trust land mines.