Seychelles gears up for International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking |22 June 2017

Seychelles has never given up the fight against illicit drugs, and maintains a zero tolerance approach to the traffickers and always makes sure that our children and youth can live full and productive lives without having their features threatened by illicit drugs.

To mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT) to be commemorated on June 26, the Drug and Alcohol Council (Dac) is organizing a host of activities under the theme ‘Listen First - Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe’.

The main activity will be a two-day national colloquium on illegal drugs that will take place on June 27-28 at the International Conference Centre (ICCS).

The activities were revealed yesterday afternoon in a press conference at the Dac Secretariat, MS Complex, Victoria.

Present at the press conference were the director of Dac Yvana Thérésine, the chairman of HIV/Aids Support Organisation (Haso) Justin Freminot, the social, health, education commissioner CEPS Ronny Arnephy and Fady Banane from the Drug Users Network Seychelles (DUNS).

Ms Thérésine said the occasion is to alert our population on illicit drugs in our country. “Today so many children are being affected by such dangerous drugs. So to mark the event various activities are being organised by different organisations willing to seek for a change in our country with regard to illicit drugs. Our main activity is a national colloquium which will take place at the ICCS, and various organisations are invited to take part in it,” she said.

Other activities include a march on June 24 from the ICCS to the mini-stadium and a family fun day at the Freedom Square from 10am to 4pm.

The aim of the IDADAIT is to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society and to mobilise individuals, organisations and countries worldwide to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.