4 March 2008 - Last week, the UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific, the non-profit foundation Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa (YCAB) and the Media Group launched the Life Award in an effort to recognize the contribution made by Indonesian journalists to the prevention of drug abuse.
A competition will take place on "Healthy and positive lifestyles in the fight against drug abuse" to determine winners in five award categories: television feature, television investigative report, radio news talkshow, print media feature and print media investigative report.
The aim of the UNODC-YCAB Life Award is to showcase the best media coverage of drug abuse prevention efforts and community-based programmes in Indonesia. It is based on the belief that through creative, informative and entertaining reports, journalists can show the general public that drug abuse is a problem that concerns everyone. Through the media, people can realize that they have the power to prevent drug abuse in their communities. Ultimately, responsible media reporting can alert people to the fact that drug abuse is a handicap to national economic and social development.
The Award also aims to sensitize people to the need for community-based prevention programmes and to help strengthen cooperation between Governments, non-governmental organizations, international institutions and representatives of the private sector and the media.
"With the experience from Indonesia, we hope to encourage other countries in the region to launch the same award," said Akira Fujino, UNODC Regional Representative. The winners will receive their prizes on 26 June, the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
YCAB is an Indonesian independent non-profit social foundation that focuses on drug abuse prevention in schools and communities. The Media Group is an Indonesian conglomerate that includes newspapers and a television channel.