Vienna, 12 March 2008

Key note speech by Dr. Massimo Barra, Chairman of the Rome Consensus Initiative and Italian Red Cross.

On the occasion of the 51st session of the Commission on Narcotics Drugs (CND) in March 2008, ICOS hosted an award dinner and ceremony on Wednesday 12 of March.

The Save a Mate (SAM) initiative of the Australian Red Cross was awarded with the Award for Innovative Drug Policy, because the initiative powerfully illustrates the effectiveness of health-based approaches to drug issues and sends a strong message on the need for realistic and humanitarian measures.

Initially launched in 1999, the save-a-mate program’s peer education comes in direct contact with more than 40,000 young people in Australia each year, and delivers training to more than 10,000. The initiative addresses the young in all communities, including vulnerable populations such as the Aboriginals, the prisoner population and sex workers. With over 300 volunteers nationally delivering training and first-aid services on a wide range of drug use and alcohol issues, the peer-to-peer campaign has been highly successful in Australia.


Save-a-Mate Website