All over the world on or around 9 July, guns were destroyed by survivors of gun crime, families of victims, governments and arms campaigners.

Ghana
200 guns retrieved from illegal sources were destroyed in Accra. The Vice President gave a speech in which he announced a number of government interventions, including the establishment of a database and an arms register for the security services, the marking of registered weapons in State institutions and private arms, the strengthening of security at armouries and the monitoring of locally manufactured weapons. The event was reported by GNA

Macedonia
200 weapons were crushed by a tank in Skopje. Representatives from CIVIL, a local NGO, monitored the destruction of firearms which were voluntarily surrendered last year.

Philippines
A symbolic gun destruction was held after a press conference organised by the Philippines Action Network on Small Arms (PHILANSA) and Amnesty International - Philippines. Toy guns were destroyed using a hammer, some were ran over by a car.

Spain
After a 'Weapons Parade' in Madrid, parodying a fashion parade, the weapons used were publicly destroyed. The event was widely covered by the Spanish press, including El Mundo.

Tanzania
Almost 1,000 illegally owned firearms were burned in Dar Es Salaam. In a speech at the event, the Home Affairs Minister appreciated the work done by NGOs in the Tanzanian network against small arms (TANANSA) in conjunction with the National Focal Point. The event was reported in the national newspapers.

Togo
5,137 firearms were publicly destroyed by the National Commission, observed by representatives from PNUD, UNREC, the Ministry of National Defence and journalists.

UK
300 gun replicas were crushed by steamroller in London with family members of gun violence victims taking part. The event was widely covered by the UK press, including the BBC. Gun destructions in Leeds and Bristol were covered by the local press.

Venezuela
18,000 surplus firearms were publicly destroyed by the Government. The event was covered widely in the national media, including Venevisión.

In addition there are three other important events taking place later in the month:

Cambodia
4,426 surplus military weapons will be destroyed on 13 July in a ‘flame of peace’, Kampong Thom province. The Co-Minister of National Defence, General Tea Banh, will preside.

South Africa
On 16 July, gun control groups will be working with the South Africa Police Service to publicly destroy a cache of illegal arms. This will mark the coming into force of the new firearms control act - aiming to drain the pool of arms in communities.

Brazil
6,500 illegal firearms seized by the police will be destroyed by Viva Rio, the Brazilian Army, and the Rio state government in late July,. Oscar Niemeyer, the famous Brazilian architect, will use the destroyed weapons to make a monument to peace.