Thursday, 24 May 2012
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has launched an initiative for young people, particularly teenagers, to utilize social media to discuss and act against substance abuse.
The new 'Youth Initiative' website aims to empower and connect youth from around the globe to become active in their schools, communities and youth groups for the prevention of substance abuse. The site will help equip young people with resources and opportunities to help them make the best decisions for themselves and impact their communities on issues related to drugs.
The world's youth have lots of great ideas and can make a positive impact on the world. UNODC wants to help give them a voice, not just to peers and local communities, but also to leaders of international organization and policy makers from around the globe.
Through the social media platform Facebook, young people will connect with each other from around the globe to discuss, share, inspire and learn from each other ways of promoting a healthy lifestyle free from drugs. UNODC will moderate discussions and give guidance to planned activities through posting monthly themes and sharing reliable sources of information on drug use prevention strategies.
"This is the first time UNODC seeks to give such a clear role to young people to take action themselves rather than be passive targets of prevention activities provided through traditional prevention programmes," said Gilberto Gerra, Chief of the Drug Prevention and Health Branch of UNODC.
Each year UNODC will host the Youth Council Conference at the United Nations Office of Vienna where youth will be able to meet with the Executive Director, participate in the annual Commision on Narcotic Drugs, meet with scientists, doctors, policy members and fellow youth leaders to influence the future of drug policies and programs. UNODC will be selecting 15 of the most active members from all five continents for an all expense paid trip to Vienna, Austria!
"Strangely, it was exactly what bored me that at the same time excited me."
May
8-9 May
Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War
12-13 May
World Migratory Bird Day [UNEP]
15 May
International Day of Families
17 May
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day [ITU]
21 May
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
22 May
International Day for Biological Diversity
29 May
International Day of UN Peacekeepers
31 May
World No-Tobacco Day [WHO]
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