Nearly 900 million firearms are available worldwide, 75% of which are kept in the hands of civilians. Because many people use guns illegally or don’t know how to properly wield these kinds of weapons, the world is confronted with a gun violence epidemic. This issue especially affects developing countries, where firearms are responsible for injuring millions of people and killing more than 1,500 persons worldwide each day.
IM Swedish Development Partner cooperated with Åkestam Holst/Great Works to create a strong initiative against the spread of illegal firearms, and developed the world’s most valuable metal, “Humanium.” This week’s #ThrowBrandThursday hits us with a topic that teaches people how to reduce the terrifying statistics of gun violence, by presenting a material specially created to fight for peace.
Humanium is actually recycled metal obtained from weapon destruction programs, representing IM’s gun removal efforts. When manufacturing the metal, firearms are melted and molded into units that look like ingots.
Aside from the practical use of Humanium to manufacture buttons, tools, nails, furniture, machines, and even buildings, the special metal bars convey a strong and ethical message: to bring peace and combat one of the greatest problems faced by mankind. Companies who incorporate this material in their products help the organization shape a better and more peaceful world.
The project is part of the IM Development Partnership’s mission to promote the message of peace in the world, but to also help fulfill the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal #16. The initiative, which won a Yellow Pencil at the D&AD Awards, launched in 2016 with the first ceremony dedicated to weapons destructions in El Salvador. Helped by the local authorities, the organization produced one ton of the valuable metal at that time.
Hans Blix, a Swedish diplomat and politician, said that “these are the weapons from which people get killed every day. In the Bible, they say you can make swords into plowshares. So it’s a famous, old, thousands-of-years wisdom, and that is what we should do.”
Fighting gun crime is an issue that concerns everyone, not just developing countries. Since it’s also a major problem in the US, the non-profit, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, developed a creepy toy called “Teddy Gun” in hope of keeping arms out of the wrong people’s hands.
The Humanium metal is not available for open market yet, but can be obtained by partner companies after submitting an official request. Every metal bar bought by someone functions as a donation made towards IM’s effort to help countries that are still struggling to break down gun violence.