26 March 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Fabio Amicarelli
Executive Director
Church of Scientology International
European Office for Public Affairs and Human Rights
Rue de la Loi 91
1040 Brussels
Phone: 32 2231 1596
Fax 32 280 15402
E-mail csiofficedir@scientology-europe.org
Website:
www.scientologyreligion.org www.scientology-europe.org
FOUNDATION FOR A DRUG-FREE EUROPE FORMS IN BRUSSELS WELCOMED BY LEADING REPRESENTATIVES OF CIVIL SOCIETY AS “A BREATH OF FRESH AIR IN A POLLUTED SOCIETY”
The Foundation for a Drug-Free Europe (FDFE) was launched in Brussels with the participation of prominent speakers, members of the Foundation's Advisory Board, European Institution officials, community and religious leaders. FDFE has been formed with the firm purpose of achieving the goal of a drug-free Europe, collaborating with local, national and European institutions and carrying out positive prevention education campaigns.
A secular organization open to people and groups from all sectors of society, the Foundation, created by the Church of Scientology International, has been formed in response to the dramatic increase in demand for their drug prevention activities after it was obvious that there was a real need to coordinate anti-drug public awareness campaigns throughout the European Union. Western Europe is the second largest market for illicit drugs after North America. According to the European Commission's Director-General for Justice and Home Affairs, of the estimated 1.5 million drug users within the EU, half to three quarters of them are injecting drugs. Each year, EU member states report 7,000 to 9,000 drug-related deaths, although the real figure is likely to be much higher.
Amongst the speakers at the presentation held at the conference center of the Brussels-based European Office of the Church of Scientology International, were prominent members of the Advisory Board of the newly created Foundation for a Drug-Free Europe:
Joaquin Antñua - Founder of the International NGO "Peace and Co-operation" and former official of the United Nations.
Miguel Cid Cebrián - Attorney, author and Director of the Spanish Government Cabinet for the National Plan on Drugs (PNSD) until 1996.
David Raynes - Formerly a Senior Custom & Excise Officer concerned with curtailing illicit drug distribution in the U.K.
E. Kenneth Eckersley - Former Magistrate and Retired Justice of the Peace and C.E.O. of A.R.T.S. (Addiction Recovery Training Services).
...sa Graaf - Founder and chairman of Riksorganisationen fvr ett Drogfritt Sverige (Drug-free Sweden) since 1992.
Michael Nielsen - Drug education consultant with over 3000 drug education lectures delivered throughout Europe to children and adults over the last ten years.
Emanuele Ruffinengo - Italian composer, producer, and three-time Grammy Award winner.
The formation of the Foundation for a Drug-Free Europe was welcomed by all the speakers during the ceremony and seen as a major institution in the fight against drugs across Europe.
In his speech, Miguel Cid urged that more attention be paid by European institutions and national governments to drug prevention and defined the Foundation for a Drug-Free Europe as "breath of fresh air in the polluted current society. The project that this Foundation will generate," continued Miguel Cid, "will greatly contribute to governmental efforts to eradicate the drug problem in society."
"Europe is about to expand to 25 countries. It is very important that the Foundation for a Drug-Free Europe can support the effort in tackling drugs across Europe, perhaps taking the focus away from enforcement, where historically it has been, and placing it much more in primary prevention, stopping people from using drugs in the first place."
"In a moment of global challenges, we need global answers and we need global institutions. We need a big institution against drugs. This Foundation for a Drug-Free Europe will be an important contribution to the fight against drugs and public awareness," stated the founder of "Peace and Cooperation", Spanish humanitarian Joaquin Antuña. "I will do all my best for this Foundation, for this global answer."
With the experience of more than 15 years in prevention education and the international anti-drug campaign: "Say 'NO' to Drugs “ Say 'YES' to Life", the grass roots movement coordinated internationally by the Church of Scientology International, there is positive evidence that drug education and prevention can make a difference.
Peter Stoker, Director of the U.K. "National Drug Prevention Alliance" and highly respected for his prevention policy conference speeches at U.K. and international venues, said that "there is an absolute need for someone to speak and act and say there is a ‘better way’. The Foundation has accepted this challenge and represents an exciting potential: a potential which absolutely must be realized."
During the presentation event of the FDFE, the publication, "Saving Lives from Drugs", was presented to the attendees. This is the second of a series of publications intended to fulfil the growing public demand about the far-reaching social betterment and reform activities and its effective solutions based on the effective technologies developed by Scientology’s Founder, L. Ron Hubbard. This booklet describes in detail the successful projects conducted by Scientologists throughout Europe to eradicate drugs from society and help individuals and youth to stay away from drugs.
For more information, visit:
www.scientology-europe.org
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Scientology Official Home Page
Scientology Groups
For help with Drug Addiction:
Truth about Drugs
Scientology Drug-Free Marshals
Young Volunteer
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