The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, also known as 'World Drug Day,' is celebrated annually on June 26th. This year's theme is "Share Facts on Drugs, Save Lives." On the occasion of this event, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly noted: "The theme emphasizes the importance of strengthening the evidence base and raising public awareness, so that the international community, governments, civil society, families, and youth can make informed decisions, better target efforts to prevent and treat drug use, and tackle world drug challenges."
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented public awareness to health issues, protective sanitary and hygiene measures, and mutual responsibility in deterring the transmission of the virus into our communities. We also witnessed remarkable innovation and progress in developing COVID-19 vaccines in a short timeframe and saw how much we relied on science. In light of the world's lessons learned, this year's ‘World Drug Day 2021’ celebrates the importance of trustworthy, scientific information that influences health choices.
To commemorate one of the most important days at UNODC, we feature an interview with Ms. Miwa Kato, Director of the Division for Operations at UNODC.
Click here to see more on Director Kato's remarks on the significance behind this year's theme, key points of the ‘World Drug Report 2021’, and the role of 'Listen First' in supporting families and children around the globe.
Click here for more information about ‘World Drug Day 2021’ and here to read the ‘World Drug Report 2021’.
Made possible with the generous support of France.