Rio - The NGO, Viva Rio, celebrated its Disarmament Campaign Day yesterday with demonstrations throughout the city. The objective of the campaign is to make people aware of the danger a firearm represents.

The campaign slogan is: "Get rid of your gun before it gets rid of you!"

Rio de Janeiro has turned out to be the state with the second biggest number of weapons turned in as part of the government's disarmament program, which "buys" guns from people to get them out of circulation. So far the state has received around 20,000 firearms, which are destroyed immediately.

Agência Brasil
Repórter: Aline Beckestein
Translator: Allen Bennett
09/29/2004