The singer will promote the topic of humanitarian demining as part of preparations for the annual international Ukraine Mine Action Conference 2025 (UMAC 2025), which will take place this year in Tokyo, Japan.
Jerry Heil has been appointed the official Ambassador for Humanitarian Demining of Ukraine through an initiative by the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine and the national platform for accelerating demining, Demine Ukraine. Through this partnership, the issue of demining, returning land to safe use, and particularly women’s participation in the mine action sector will gain visibility among millions of Ukrainians and the international audience.
“Humanitarian demining is a foundation for the country’s recovery and for people returning home. Through our partnership with Jerry Heil, we will be able to engage those who are not yet familiar with the scale of the challenges and what Ukraine is already doing to restore safety through demining. This will certainly help focus more support for Ukraine both domestically and abroad,” said Igor Bezkaraivnyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine.
As part of the partnership, Jerry Heil is also participating in the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) communications campaign, organized in the lead-up to UMAC 2025, in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
“Music is a universal language that makes complex issues simple and understandable for everyone, regardless of borders. For me, as a representative of Ukrainian music, it is extremely important that what I love most can benefit those I love most. Why sow what won’t grow? Today I want to use the power of my music to speak about those who, every day and at the risk of their lives, make Ukrainian land safe—for our freedom and for a future with warm memories. Together, we are preparing something that will be another step in this direction,” said Jerry Heil.
As an ambassador, Jerry Heil will speak about mine risks and efforts to clear Ukrainian land of mines and explosive remnants of war, both within Ukraine and on international platforms.
Background:
The Ukraine Mine Action Conference 2025 (UMAC 2025) will take place in Tokyo on October 22–23. It is the main international platform for discussing humanitarian demining issues. This year, the conference is co-organized by the governments of Ukraine and Japan.
The event will gather over 300 participants, including representatives of international partners, high-level international organizations, national and international operators, NGOs, and the private sector. The main goal of the conference is to coordinate joint actions to accelerate the clearance of Ukrainian land, ensure its safe use for living, agricultural development, and economic recovery, and to unite with other mine-affected countries to address the global problem of landmines collectively.
