Harnessing
effortsefforts
to establish
Harnessing
to aninformalinternational
platform
establish
an informal
advocating
for drug abuse
prevention
international
platformamong young
peopleadvocating
for drugabuse
prevention among young
peopleOrganizer: Uganda Youth Development Link
Co-organizer: Drug Abuse Prevention Centre, Japan
Vienna International Centre Room M0E05 (Hybrid)
Teams meeting link
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZDYwZmZiNTYtY2I2OC00MjJmLWE2NGEt
MWFiMmMwZTQyNmQy%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%220f9e35db-544f-4f60-bdcc-5ea416e6d
c70%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22540ee5b4-66fe-4ca3-9388-00ebbd43211d%22%7d

19 March 2024

13:00~13:50 (CET)From Japan to the World:
Towards achieving a world free of drug abuse among the youth

Working in tandem with the Drug Abuse Prevention Centre (DAPC) of Japan, Uganda Youth
Development Link is organizing this side event in an attempt to take an innovative step
towards drug abuse prevention especially among the youth.
Since 1993, DAPC, a public interest incorporated foundation, has been playing a leadingrole in the nation-wide drug abuse prevention activities, focusing on grassroots education
primarily for the youth as well as street-level awareness campaigns. The Centre has
simultaneously carried out fundraising activities to support developing countries through theUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The collected funds have been
donated annually to UNODC and have been used for 780 drug abuse prevention projects in a
total of 649 developing countries.
In March 2023, during the 66th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Japanorganized a side event entitled “Dame. Zettai.” ("Never. Ever." "Value yourself.") ~ A
high-level side event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the DAPC Grants ~. The
current side event serves as a direct follow-up to the proposal made at the 2023 event.
This year’s side event, planned in partnership with Uganda Youth Development Link as a
key player representing Africa, is meant to promote and concretise the proposal made at theabove-mentioned side event to form an "informal international platform" anchored on drug
abuse prevention.
***Half a century ago, by amending article 38 of the 1961 Single Convention on NarcoticDrugs, the international community firmly stated its intention that the prevention of drug
abuse is the first and most important step to address drug abuse issues and that, at the sametime, all measures should be taken, beginning with primary prevention and continuing withearly identification, treatment, education, rehabilitation, aftercare, and reintegration intosociety.

It is essential that all of these measures be taken in unison, with no one element missing.
The purpose of the DAPC Grants programme through UNODC, which has continued for
30 years, is to send a firm message from Japan that the first priority is to take all possible
measures to prevent drug abuse through provision of assistance to developing countries toachieve that goal.
The time has come to create a platform of regional networks for discussion on prevention
perhaps on the lines of HONLEA (Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies),
which has produced substantive results regarding drug control, with the private sector as theprimary driving force.
This would enable countries to coordinate, at the executive level, demand reduction
efforts and share experiences, knowledge and best practices.
In today’s world, there are countries that urgently need to address the worsening drug
abuse situation, and it is precisely in those countries that it is also essential to focus on
primary prevention, followed by secondary prevention efforts.
We are about to take the first step in this direction. It is time for like-mindedorganizations to take this opportunity to come together and join forces to sow seeds towards
building an international platform anchored on drug abuse prevention.
The informal international platform to be organized will begin on a small scale, with a
few like-minded groups and organizations and with the aim of "planting the seeds" forfurther creativity in drug prevention efforts.
The next concrete step envisaged includes organizing a regional symposium as an annual
forum as part of efforts of drug abuse prevention advocacy.

AgendaAgenda1. Introductions and welcome remarks by the Chair
1. Introductions
and welcomeremarksby the Chair
2. Presentationabout
the far-reachingidea "informal international
platform"anchoredon drug
prevention
by Mr.platform"
Akira Fujino,
2. Presentation
about thefar-reachingideaabuse"informalinternationalanchored onPresident,
DrugAbuse
PreventionCentre (DAPC)of Japandrug abuse
preventionby Mr.
Akira
Fujino, President,
Drug Abuse
Prevention Centre(DAPC) of Japan
a. Video clip “30th anniversary of DAPC Grants througha. Video clipUNODC”“30th anniversary of DAPC Grants through UNODC”
b. Reflections
on the programmes
under DAPC
GrantsandGrants
proposalsb. Reflections
on the programmes
underDAPCand for a way
forward: Today’s
aimforandmodalities
drug
proposals
a innovative
way forward:
Today’sfor
aim
andprevention
innovativeefforts
modalities for drug prevention effortsc. Specific plans
Specific
3. Presentationc.
aboutyouthplansdrug abuse interventions in Uganda by Dr. Rogers Kasirye,
Secretary-General, Uganda Youth Development Link
3. Presentation about youth drug abuse interventions in Uganda bya. Reflections
on Kasirye,
the Uganda
experiences:challenges
theDevelopment
way forward
Dr. Rogers
Executive
Director,
Uganda andYouthb. Proposals
Link from Africa
4. General discussion:
way forward
andQ & A experiences: challenges and thea. Reflections
on theUganda
way forwardb. Proposals from Africa
4. General discussion and other contributions: way forward and Q & A
5. Closing
Vienna International Centre Room M0E05 (Hybrid)
Teams meeting link
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZDYwZmZiNTYtY2I2OC00MjJmLWE2NGEt
MWFiMmMwZTQyNmQy%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%220f9e35db-544f-4f60-bdcc-5ea416e6d
c70%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22540ee5b4-66fe-4ca3-9388-00ebbd43211d%22%7d

19 March 2024

13:00~13:50 (CET)