Volunteers of the NGO Youth Power are on June 26, 2021. organized an action on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse with the aim of raising citizens’ awareness of the harmful effects that drugs can cause and the problems that this addiction causes for the individual and for the whole community.
The street action was held on „Lenjinovo šetalište“ where 20 volunteers were giving T-shirts to the citizens with a promotional texts against drug abuse. This year’s message of the campaign was “Choose life not drugs” and the volunteers tried to convey this message in the best possible way.
Seid Šabanović, a volunteer of the NGO Youth Power, emphasized the importance of healthier lifestyles.
“We have identified the problem of drug abuse as one of the biggest problems that the people of our community are facing it. It is also worth mentioning that frequent users of narcotics are our peers. So that’s encouraged us to go to the streets on this symbolic day, and with another action in a row, to support the fight against harmful but widespread phenomena in society. “
Ajla Memić, a longtime volunteer of the NGO Youth Power, said that the city of Mostar needs more street actions like this.
“I think the action had a positive impact. And as main reason of this opinion, I would say the smiles we elicited, but also the encouraging and positive feedback we received. I really think that there should be more street actions like this one, which will in a nice way indicate the harmfulness of the consumption of narcotics. And also “Budi muško” club is important for us, for the community, it is very true because it teaches us important values, morals and primarily about life “, said Ajla
In 1987, as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation in building a drug-free society, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared June 26 as “International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.” The celebration of this day aims to alert the world public to the growing problem of drug abuse and to invite all people at the global and national levels to be actively involved in achieving the common goal.
The activity was implemented within the project Young Men Initiative (YMI): “Promoting healthier lifestyles among young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, which is supported by the Government of Switzerland, the OAK Foundation, the Austrian Development Agency and CARE International Bosnia and Herzegovina.