Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of State congratulates Golden West Humanitarian Foundation for winning the 2016 CES Innovation Award with its Advanced Ordnance Training Materials project. This project uses advanced 3D printing technology to create models of landmines and military ordnance to train demining technicians in post-conflict countries worldwide.

With support from the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Golden West Humanitarian Foundation has addressed critical needs in heavily mine-impacted countries across the globe since 1998. From recycling unexploded ordnance in Cambodia to teaching children about the risks of unexploded ordnance, Golden West takes a comprehensive approach to safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of people living in areas contaminated with explosive remnants of war. Golden West’s development of innovative and practical materials and technologies, like 3D printing, is saving lives and preventing injuries around the world.

The CES Innovation Awards is an annual competition honoring outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology products. A preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, independent engineers, and members of the trade media judges cutting edge consumer electronics products across 27 categories, and CES 2016 Innovation Honoree products are featured on CESweb.org/Innovation.

The United States is the world’s largest single financial supporter of efforts to clear unexploded ordnance and landmines. The United States has contributed more than $2.5 billion since 1993 to over 90 countries around the world through more than 60 partner organizations like Golden West Humanitarian Foundation to reduce the harmful effects of at-risk, illicitly proliferated, and indiscriminately used conventional weapons of war. For more information on U.S. humanitarian demining and Conventional Weapons Destruction programs, check out the latest edition of our annual report, To Walk the Earth in Safety.