<back to map
|
|
|
Overview
|
 The ’16th International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm’ took place in Belfast, Northern Ireland from the 20th to 24th March 2005. The 4-day event was attended by over 1,000 delegates from all over the world and had the theme “Widening the Agenda”.
The conference was organised by IHRA and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS). The opening session included, among other things, an address from Dr. Jim Yong Kim from the World Health Organization, and the 2005 Rolleston Oration from Allan Clear, Executive Director of the Harm Reduction Coalition.
|
Other highlights at the conference included a keynote speech from Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Zackie Achmat (from the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa), and the presentation of the UK Harm Reduction Alliance (UKHRA) ‘Tom Waller Award’ - for “significant contributions to the development of harm reduction policy and practice in the UK”. The 2005 award was presented at the conference to Ian Smith in recognition of all his work to further the aim of harm reduction before his passing in 2004. The award was collected on behalf of Mr. Smith by his 10 year old son Billy, who gave a deeply moving speech.
The conference programme was subdivided into 10 major ‘pathways’ and the main points of discussion at the event included the need to “scale-up” harm reduction services around the world (providing more services and reaching vulnerable groups such as young people and refugees), harm reduction interventions for alcohol and tobacco use, the human rights of drug users (and how human rights should be a core component within the harm reduction approach), and the damage being done internationally by the anti-harm reduction stance of the US Government - which “hung like a cloud over the conference” according to the Rapporteur Report.
|
 |
|
Programme & Abstracts
|
 Click here to view the conference reader (including the programme and abstracts) [PDF: 4.01MB]
|
Presentations
|
Monday 21st March 2005
Turmoil and Vulnerable Communities
|
Jane Fountain [PDF:63KB]
|
Rapporteur Report
|
The appointed Conference Rapporteur for this event was Andrew Percy from the Institute of Child Care Research at Queens University, Belfast. Mr. Percy was supported in this role by Simon Baldwin, Cameron Duff, Patrick McCrystal, Pat O’Hare, Rob Phipps and Adam Winstock.
|
Click here to view the Rapporteur Report [PDF:51KB]
|
IHRA Awards
|
The International Rolleston Award
|
This was awarded to Dr. Wu Zunyou in recognition of his role in the initiation, development and expansion of methadone maintenance services for opiate users in China. Dr. Wu is the Director of the Division of Health Education and Behavioural Intervention (at the National Centre for AIDS/STD Prevention and Control, China) and also the Co-ordinator for the National Methadone Maintenance Treatment Working Group in China.
|
Click to view history of the International Rolleston Award
|
The National Rolleston Award
|
This was presented to Des Flannagan fom the Community Addiction Team at the Home First Community Health and Social Services Trust, Northern Ireland. Mr. Flannagan has made an outstanding contribution to the development of harm reduction services in Northern Ireland, and was at the forefront of the campaign to develop high quality needle exchange and substitute prescribing services to injecting drug users in the country.
|
Click to view history of the National Rolleston Award
|
The Travis Jenkins Award
|
This (inaugural Travis Jenkins Award) was presented to Paisan Suwannawong of the Thai Drug User's Network. Mr. Suwannawong has been a champion of human rights for drug users and has been at the forefront of the development of HIV services for drug users in a country that has witnessed an aggressive war on drugs.
|
Click to view history of the Travis Jenkins Award
|
|
|
Film Festival
|
The 2nd ‘Drugs and Harm Reduction Film Festival’ was held during the Belfast conference in 2005, and showcased more than 40 films. The festival was a great success and was rated highly in the conference feedback reports from delegates.
|
Click here to view the Film Festival programme and abstracts [PDF:136KB]
|
The 2005 Film Festival Award was won by Maziar Bahari from Iran for the film entitled “Mohammad and the Matchmaker”. For more general information about the Drugs and Harm Reduction Film Festivals, please visit www.chr.asn.au/resources/filmfest.
|
Photos
|
|
|
Click images to view larger
|
Links
|
DHSSPS Press Release
|
|
|
