An annual awards gala titled “Clearing the Path Awards” was held in Washington, D.C., organized by the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) — one of the United States’ leading non-governmental organizations in the field of humanitarian demining.

The event was attended by officials from the U.S. Administration and Congress, members of the diplomatic corps, as well as representatives of international mine action organizations and donor institutions.

At the gala, Vusal Allahverdiyev, an employee of the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA), and his mine detection dog "Ben-Mace" were presented with the “Mine Detection Dog Team of the Year 2025” award.

Among this year’s winners across four categories, the award was presented to the Azerbaijani representative by H.E. Mr. Khazar Ibrahim, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States.

During the gala, photographs depicting mine detection dogs donated to Azerbaijan by the Marshall Legacy Institute and their trainers, showcasing their demining operations in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, were displayed.

Cooperation between the Marshall Legacy Institute and Azerbaijan has been ongoing since 2005. Over this period, the Institute has provided around 100 mine detection dogs to Azerbaijan.