The Council of Europe’s International Cooperation Group on Drugs and Addictions (Pompidou Group) marks its 50th anniversary in Paris today at an event looking back over its history and successes. Taking place at the Pompidou Centre, the event will open with presentations from a range of dignitaries including Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe; Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers; António Lacerda Sales, Deputy Minister of Health of Portugal and French government representative, Dr Nicolas Prisse, President of MILDECA.
A thematic session on ‘50 years of Pompidou Group history’ will include testimonials from former Executive Secretaries and the Dean of the Permanent Correspondents and from former Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the body. EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel will speak during this session on the agency’s cooperation with the Pompidou Group over the past 25 years.
A second thematic session will focus on ‘Human rights at the heart of drug policies’. This will feature a panel discussion which will look at: balancing the rights of the individual with security and public health perspectives; building international alliances for humane drug policies; setting and monitoring human rights standards in drug policies; and defining human rights related goals in drug policies.
The commemorative event will end with the 10th European Drug Prevention Prize awards ceremony. Concluding remarks will be made by Dr João Goulão, Chair of the Permanent Correspondents and by Denis Huber, Executive Secretary of the Pompidou Group.
