Director-General/Executive Director
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am pleased to join you today to mark the 30th anniversary of the Peace Bell.
I would like to start by thanking the Government of Japan and the Drug Abuse Prevention Centre who generously donated this bell to the United Nations in Vienna back in 1995.
Since then, this bell has been a strong symbol of peace and our collective determination to build a healthier, safer world.
It also represents the voices of young people who are leading the charge in drug use prevention.
Since 1994, the DAPC has mobilized young volunteers to raise millions of dollars for global youth prevention efforts.
And that’s what makes these grants so special; they are raised by youth, to youth, for youth.
Today is about recognizing their hard work and dedication.
Thanks to their support and through the DAPC’s partnership with UNODC, we have helped NGOs and community-based organizations launch and scale up activities to prevent drug use, promote healthy lifestyles, and empower young people.
Since 2012, DAPC grants have benefitted over 140 projects in 55 low- and middle-income countries from all regions of the world.
This means thousands of children and young people now have stronger skills, better resilience, more opportunities, and brighter futures.
In Lao PDR, we’ve provided educational opportunities for more than 6,700 children and young people out of school.
In Nigeria, we’ve helped hundreds of girls develop life and social skills to better cope with anxiety and stress, and to prevent them from resorting to drug use.
In Ecuador, we’ve encouraged young people to take the lead in creating prevention initiatives in their own schools and communities.
And in India, we’ve provided family skills training to help parents create healthier, more supportive environments for their children.
This work shows that change happens from the ground up.
It shows the impact that grassroots organizations can have when they are given the right support, the right tools, and the right partnerships.
And it shows that prevention works.
The evidence is clear – the UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention provide the foundation for what we do, and they remind us that if we invest in prevention today, we create healthier communities tomorrow.
Last year, UNODC launched the CHAMPS initiative, putting prevention and youth at the center of responses to address violence and drug use among children and young people.
Six countries so far have already joined us on this journey, and we will continue to expand this work in the months ahead.
And we will continue to work closely with the DAPC, which I encourage other countries to use as a model for their own prevention efforts.
So, thank you once again to the young volunteers who drive this mission forward, to the DAPC for its longstanding collaboration, and to all of you working to protect young people and helping them reach their full potential.
As we celebrate 30 years of the Peace Bell, let it remind us of the power of collective action.
And let it inspire us to keep working, keep pushing, and keep believing that a healthier world is possible.
Thank you.
