Warning: getimagesize(images/M_images/web_pages/DSC02440.jpg): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/ecadne/public_html/plugins/content/multithumb/multithumb.php on line 1529
Warning: getimagesize(images/M_images/web_pages/DSC02440.jpg): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/ecadne/public_html/plugins/content/multithumb/multithumb.php on line 1529
- Details
- Category: News
September 8-11
ECAD visit to Italy started with a seminar in Riccione, close to Rimini. Swedish ambassador to Vienna, Mr. Hans Lundborg, gave an impressing overview on work against drugs and drug misuse in European arena, with a focus on the work carried out in the United Nations (UNODC). This included some interesting discussion among the 50 participants. 
The Seminar was followed by a visit to San Patrignano and their WeFree Day. This is San Patrignano’s biggest annual event with high level international speakers, workshops and other activities.
Among the speakers was Fabrizio Gandini, Minister for Justice in Italy, Honourable Franco Frattini and Viviane Reading, EU Commissioner. ECAD participated in the many events arranged in the Community and we were all impressed and satisfied.
ECAD’s seminar also included a round tour in San Patrignano, where the different working places were showed, as well as good opportunities to interrogate the management and people living in the Community with a number of questions.
San Patrignano is an impressive and very successful treatment facility with some 1 800 former addicts, living together for long term residence. Since 1978, San Patrignano has taken in over 18,000 people, offering them a home, healthcare, legal assistance, and the opportunity to study, learn a job, change their lives, and regain their status as full members of society. San Patrignano welcomes all young men and women who have serious drug abuse problems, regardless of ideology, social background, or religion, and completely free of charge, accepting no payment or funding from their families or the government.
ECAD plan to arrange a Conference close to San Patrignano even next year, 2011.
- Details
- Category: News
To the left: Bjørg Månum Andersson, Director General of the Department of Seniors and Social Services; Oslo's City Hall, the meeting venue.
ECAD Advisory Board held its regular meeting on June 18 in Oslo. The Board discussed routine issues on the agenda with focus on the budget.
Once again, the Board would like to bring attention to the fact that the ECAD economy fully depends on the membership fees paid by the member cities. Membership fees are charged in accordance with the city’s population. This model was introduced in ECAD in 1998 and is still considered as the most appropriate and fair. All contributions, larger as well as smaller, paid by the member cities of different size are essential for running of an international organization of ECAD’s scale. Besides the membership fees, ECAD’s economy is formed by the generous support received from the City of Stockholm in terms of providing the organization with premises and other office needs.
The volcanic ashes that clouded the European air space prevented ECAD from holding its 17th Mayors’ Conference in April in Malta. That is why the Board went through the preparations remaining ahead of this postponed conference which will take place on 23-25 September instead. The Board is satisfied with the fact that the conference programme holds in general and only minor adjustments are needed. See more information in the menu to the left under "Conferences".
The Advisory Board was presented an up-date on Youth in Europe (YIE) programme by its manager Jon Sigfusson, Reykjavik. The programme is prolonged until 2012 with a possibility of further extension. In short, the YIE includes two parts: a survey aimed at defining risk and protective factors in regard to drug prevention in each participating city; and a mobilization of society in order to use the knowledge in designing of municipal drug preventive action plan. To remind you, the YIE is an ECAD initiative based upon a successful programme Drug Free Iceland which resulted in a great improvement of the drug situation among the Icelandic youths. Now, the idea of the YIE is not to compare cities with each other – there are many sources enabling such comparison – but to give each interested municipality a tool and a methodology which is proven efficient in reaching targets in drug prevention among the young people.
When ECAD Advisory Board holds its meetings in different member cities, an important part of the agenda includes presentation of the anti-drug work conducted by the hosts. It gives the Board members a better understanding of the needs of the members which are spread though out Europe.
In Oslo, the Board enjoyed a meeting with Anniken Hauglie, the municipal commissioner, who gave a much appreciated reflection on the drug situation in Norway in general. In addition, Assistant Director General of the Department of Seniors and Social Services Nina Backer-Roed told about a collaborative model of crime prevention among youths which is successfully being implemented in Oslo since 2006: the SaLTo-model. For more information in Egnlish please click here http://www.salto.oslo.kommune.no/statistikk_og_analyse/
ECAD Advisory Board expresses its sincere gratitude to the host, Director General Bjørg Månum Andersson and the City of Oslo for the great organization of the meeting and for their warm hospitality.
- Details
- Category: News
on September 9 - 10, 2010 in Jurmala, Latvia.
"Designing a Better World"
Self-help groups under precarious life circumstances:
How do we solve social and practical issues for those who left drugs and criminality behind?
International and local NGOs, volunteers, politicians, social workers and all interested are most welcome to join!
Conference is free of charge.
To get a special discount on the hotel price for your booking, please register before August 25!
Read more under Conferences in the menu to the left.
Conference Announcement
- Details
- Category: News
Today (May 26), at the third day of the II World Forum, a Congress for World Federation Against Drugs has adopted a
Resolution for the Appointment of new Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
That is in support of the spirit of work and achievements of Mr. Antonio Maria Costa, UNODC Executive Director who is bound to leave the position this summer.
For Conference materials and speeches please visit www.wfad.se
- Details
- Category: News
“Youth – Voice of the Future”
Reykjavik, Iceland
The conference is organised by Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the Nordic Council
Due to other Nordic events that take place at the same time - on May 20th – 21st 2010 - the Nordic conference Youth- Voice of the future will unfortunately be rescheduled.
The new dates for the conference are October 28th-30th 2010. New invitations will be sent out in August 2010.
One of the major projects executed during the Icelandic presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2009 was a comparative research on the well-being and lifestyles among Nordic youth.
The research project was carried out in all the Nordic countries, including the Faroe Islands, Greenland and the Åland Islands.
Based on the results of the research, the conference will focus on lifestyle and leisure-time activities, language and culture, education, gender and equality, extra-curricular activities and participation, local community networks, adolescent mental health, substance use, values and attitudes of youth.
More information under Conferences in the menu to the left.
Subcategories
The ECAD Mayors' Conference
28th Mayor's Conference - Invitation - May 11th and 12th, 2023 - Malta
On May 11th and 12th, the 28th ECADs Mayor's Conference will take place at Dolmen Hotel in Qwara, Malta. We warmly invite you to join us and expand your knowledge on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery. The conference will highlight best practices and research in the field. It will offer the opportunity to network with other ECAD members, representatives from local authorities, and non-governmental organisations. Registration is free for the first person attending from your organisation!
Additionally, the conference allows for a unique experience as it includes a full day of field visits on May 12th. All participants are invited to Komunita’ Santa Marija, which will be sharing information on their services, and their experiences, and will engage in discussions.
The Agenda has now been published! The deadline to register is April 22nd
Day 1
DATE | TIME | VENUE
11/05/2023 | 09:00 – 17:30 | The Oracle Conference Centre - Dolmen Hotel Qawra, St. Paul's Bay
08:30hrs – 09:00hrs| Registrations
09:00hrs – 09:05hrs| Welcome Address by the President of Local Councils’ Association - Mr Mario Fava
09:05hrs – 09:15hrs| Welcome Address by ECADs Chairman of the Board from Kristiansand, Norway - Mr Viggo Lütcherath
09:15hrs – 09:20hrs| Welcome Address by the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government - Hon. Alison Zerafa Civelli
09:20hrs – 09:40hrs| Inspirational speech – “Push yourself to do it because no one else is going to do it for you” by the President Northern Regional Council & LCA Executive Member - Mr. Clifford Galea Vella Maslennikov
09:40hrs – 10:30hrs| Panel Discussion and Presentation – Discussing the Local Context
The prevention team within Sedqa would like to present the following studies.
Study 1: The Role of a Workplace Policy in Addressing Employees’ Substance Misuse Difficulties.
Aim: To explore the probability of an employee seeking support for a substance misuse difficulty elicited by the workplace ethic fostered by management. Through this paper, we seek to determine a possible correlation between the implementation of a substance misuse policy at the workplace, and employees’ probability to seek guidance and support from their employers for a substance misuse-related difficulty.
Study 2: A Substance Misuse Policy in the Workplace: Senior Leadership Teams’ Attitudes
Aim: To explore how senior leadership teams’ (SLTs) attitudes inform the drafting of a substance misuse policy and how those attitudes inform job retention procedures in the case of an employee disclosing a substance misuse difficulty. Uncovering SLTs’ attitudes toward addiction is essential to understand how these beliefs inform workplace policy aims and actions on substance misuse.
Keynote speakers representing Sedqa Prevention team:
Mr Jareth Grima – Social Worker
Ms Sheryl Spiteri – Prevention Team
Ms Stephanie Mizzi Cascun – Prevention Professional.
10:30hrs – 11:00hrs| Coffee Break
11:00hrs – 11:45hrs| Mr Jon Sigfússon Planet Youth – Evidence-based drug prevention.
Mr Sigfússon is the international programme director for the evidence-based Planet Youth Guidance primary community-based health promotion intervention. Over the course of 20 years, Mr Sigfússon directed the Icelandic Centre for Social Research and Analysis (ICSRA).
11:45hrs – 12:30hrs| Mr Matej Košir - Strategies and tactics to prevent cannabis legalisation in Slovenia - The power of prevention science and advocacy.
Mr Matej Košir has been working in prevention and advocacy in the field of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs for around 25 years. Since 2006, he has been involved in more than 30 European projects in the fields of health, justice, education, youth and research as a project or work package leader.
12:00hrs – 14:00hrs| Seated Buffet Lunch
14:00hrs – 14:45hrs| Profs. Christian Thurstone, MD - The impact of legalisation in Colorado, USA – challenges faced by [local] authorities and communities.
Profs. Thurstone is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado and a child psychiatrist who specialises in addiction treatment. He published some of the first papers on the potential effects of marijuana legalisation on youth and has devoted his professional life to preventing and treating adolescent substance misuse.
14:45hrs - 15:30hrs| Ms Mulka Nisic - Recovery Cities - Creating sustainable connections and networks in cities.
Ms Mulka Nisic has been involved as a Regional Project Manager and International Relations Officer at the NGO Celebrate Recovery, and Secretary General of the Recovered Users Network-RUN.
15:30hrs - 16:00hrs| Conclusive Remarks
16:00hrs – 17:30hrs| ECAD Plenary for ECAD Members only
19:30hrs – 23:00hrs| Welcome Dinner at The Pavilion Suite, Westin Dragonara St Julian’s - Separate Registration is required in the application form.
Day 2
DATE | TIME
12/05/2023 | 09:15 – 19:00
09:15hrs – 09:30hrs| Transport leaves from Dolmen Hotel & Salini Resort to Komunita Santa Marija
09:30hrs – 09:45hrs| Registration and Welcome Coffee
09:45hrs – 10:15hrs| Introduction to the services offered by Komunita’ Santa Marija.
10:15hrs – 11:00hrs| Sharing of good practices and discussion
11:00hrs – 11:30hrs| Tour around Komunita’ Sanata Marija premises
11:30hrs – 12:00hrs| Transport to Ħagar Qim in Qrendi
12:00hrs – 13:15hrs| Ħagar Qim Visit
13:15hrs – 13:30hrs| Transport to Xgħajra
13:30hrs – 16:00hrs| Lunch (you will have time for a short stroll by the seaside)
16:00hrs – 18:00hrs| Cultural Visit in Mdina – Visiting the National Museum of National History
18:00hrs – 19:30hrs| Visiting Dingli Cliffs
19:30hrs - 15:30hrs| Transport to Salini Resort and Dolmen Hotel
27th Mayors Conference - Gothenburg and online 2022
The 27th Mayors' Conference and 8th World Forum took place in Gothenburg and online 13-14th June 2022.
The World Forum and Mayor’s Conference is a meeting place for people from all continents who are working to prevent drug abuse, ensure evidence-based and gender-sensitive practices, increase access to treatment, and to promote recovery and reintegration services. This global forum is one of its kind where NGOs, self-help groups, treatment centres, scholars, local, regional, and national authorities, politicians and other decision-makers, and others from around the world will meet to share evidence and best practice experiences. This year’s World Forum will include three main tracks: Prevention, Treatment/Recovery, and Advocacy, which will stretch over 1,5 days followed by the WFAD Congress and ECAD Mayors plenary session.
We are proud to announce that the Forum was inaugurated by UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly and will be joined by experts from around the world.
Read more on the website: https://2022.wfad.se/ and access the full report here. 
26th Mayors Conference - Cork 2019 
25th MAYORS´ CONFERENCE
and 6th World Forum Against Drugs 
Conference materials
Kevin Sabet, PhD, Director, Drug Policy Institute, University of Florida, President, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), USA
Speech at the WFAD /ECAD 25th Mayors Conference, Gothenburg, May 15, 2018 (Video 5min.)
Supply reduction in Peril? A lot of the worlds`s drug supply emanates from a war-torn Columbia.
Dr. Michael Jonsson, FOI, Swedish Defence Research Agency
Text to the slides (PDF)
In Columbia, a peace deal has been struck, which gives hope for a closure of insurgency and violence. (PDF)
Thomas Pietschmann, Dr, Drug Research Section, Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs
The International drug control system, global/regional and national drug patterns and trends, and supply reduction efforts at the international level (PDF)
Photo: Götaplatsen @ Klas Eriksson
Annual Mayors` Conference and the 6th World Forum Against Drugs will take off on May 14-15 in Gothenburg this year.
This joint event will address a growing interest to the effective prevention practices, full recovery and alternatives to incarceration and to life-long dependency on drug treatment.
The conference will create a room for elaborating a practical guide to how a recovery city will look like, this will be grounded on the recent evidence-based research. Sheffield Hallam University (UK), Ghent University (Belgium) and the City of Gothenburg have already started working on this guide in practice.
In order to find out more and to register please visit a joint webpage here.
MAYORS` CONFERENCE 2017
ECAD 24th Mayors` Conference materials
On June 12-13, the city of Kaunas hosted ECAD 24th Annual Mayors`s Conference 2017
Safe Cities Without Drugs. Preventing, Protecting, Policing
Key-note speakers:
David W. Spencer, Field intelligence Manager, Drug Enforcement Agency, European Region
Supply reduction and dismantling drug trafficking organizations: In what ways can local communities benefit (PDF)
Kim Nilvall, Swedish National Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence section, Organized crime
Police work in socially disadvantaged areas in Sweden: Impact of drugs on urban crime (PDF)
Torsten Stodiek, Deputy Head, Strategic Police Matters Unit, Community Policing Advisor, Transnational Threats Department, OSCE
Preventing terrorism and countering violent extremism and radicalisation that lead to terrorism:
A community and intelligence led policing approach (PDF)
Jon Sigfusson, Director for Icelandic Centre of Social Research and Analysis, Reykjavik University, ICSRA
Youth in Europe and Planet Youth (PDF)
Laimonas Vasiliauskas, Senior Specialist, Serious and Organized Crime Department, EUROPOL
European Illicit Drug Market (PDF)
Antonio Boscini, Health Director, San Patrignano Community, Rimini, Italy
Recovery and social reinsertion: San Patrignano Community model extended (PDF)
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME (PDF)
FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT (PDF)
Conference Booking Form
Kaunas Castle
Picture: @Rokas Tenys
Warm welcome to Kaunas, Lithuania!