UNODC-Supported Sport Festival "Line Up, Live Up" Strengthens Resilience of Tajik Youth to Crime

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with the State Committee on youth, physical culture and sports under the Tajik Government conducted first sport festival "Line Up, Live Up" aimed at crime prevention among youth through sports. The festival was held on 22 June 2018 in Dushanbe city, the capital of Tajikistan. It was attended by some 500 people. 

The festival was organized as part of the UNODC's Regional Programme for Central Asia and the Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration, adopted at the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Qatar 2015, as well as the Tajik Government's Programme on "Policy of youth development for 2017-2020".

According to Rizoshodi Nazarzoda, first Deputy Head of the Tajik State Committee on youth, physical culture and sports: "The relevance of this event is to promote the importance and role of the value of health for the younger generation, as well as popularization of sports among youth." "Sportif youth - healthy nation," he added. 

"UNODC promotes sports as a tool for healthy living and prevention of crime, violence and substance-use through implementation of the sports-based, life-skills training curriculum for youth aged 13-18 entitled "Line Up, Live Up"", said Amelia Hannaford, Head of the Programme office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Tajikistan.""Line Up, Live Up" - strengthens youth resilience to crime, violence and drug use by enhancing their personal and social skills and increasing their knowledge on the risks associated with these phenomena".

Youth from four regions of Dushanbe city, children from vulnerable families, sportmen participated at the number of lessons based on "Line Up Live Up" Programme' sport-based curriculum conducted by certified coaches. This Programme is innovative sport-based training course for youth, comprised of ten valuable sessions to develop core life skills that enable to deal with the demands, stress and interpersonal conflicts of everyday life, positively influence behaviour, prevent anti-social and risky behaviour.

The Sport festival "Line Up, Live Up" was devoted to the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking which marked annually on 26 June. In 2018, UNODC in Kyrgyzstan conducts anti-drug information campaign under the slogan "Listen First".

Listening with understanding and empathy, we will be able to have a positive impact on children and their risky behavior. #ListenFirst to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy & safe!

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For further media enquiries, please contact:

Vasilina Brazhko

National Communication/PR Offier at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Telephone: +996 775 98 78 17

Email: vasilina.brazhko [a] un.org