The Canada-wide competition, run by Mines Action Canada and Engineers Without Borders and sponsored by universities and colleges, encourages the development of solutions to address the variety of problems posed by land-mine removal efforts worldwide.

Razmoket, designed by Messrs. Cissé and Zagre under the direction of Eva M'Bengue, Vice-President of the Engineers Without Borders, Polytechnique Chapter, is a compact six-wheeled vehicle weighing 50 kilograms that is effective on terrain difficult to reach by mine disposal squads. In their comments, the judges singled out the team's thorough analysis of the issues they addressed, as well as the solution's ease of use and cost-effectiveness.

On December 1, the winners were presented with a $1,000 cheque by members of a delegation dispatched from Ottawa for the occasion, consisting of Eva Morrison of Mines Action Canada, Julia Turvey and Julie Boudet representing the Youth Mine Action Ambassador Program, and Frank Jewsbury of the Canadian Association for Mine and Explosive Ordnance Security.

Eva Morrison, Education and Information Officer for Mines Action Canada, underscored the importance of participation by students in engineering programs in projects like these, which work toward development of solutions to the scourge of land mines, responsible for the deaths of approximately 20,000 people every year, most of them civilians.

From left to right: Hamady Cissé, Eva Morrison,
Julia Turvey, Julie Boudet and Eric Gilles Zagre

École Polytechnique is proud of the winning team and offers its warmest congratulations.

For further information:

• Engineers Without Borders, Polytechnique Chapter: www.polymtl.ewb.ca
• Mines Action Canada: www.minesactioncanada.org
• Youth Mine Action Ambassador Program: www.dangermines.ca
• Canadian Association for Mine and Explosive Ordnance Security: www.cameo.org