Say ‘No’ to Drugs - Taiwan’s Anti-drug Response
The “ECHINACEA CAMPAIGN”
President Ma Ying-jeou, in his June 2, 2012 announcement regarding Taiwan’s most recent efforts to respond to societal drug use, called on the people to actively educate themselves about the effects of illegal drugs and to support Taiwan’s “ECHINACEA CAMPAIGN”.
Created by the Ministry of Education, the “ECHINACEA CAMPAIGN” hopes to provide accurate information and resources to help people, especially students, to better understand drugs and the drug culture.
The Echinacea flower logo, designed by assistant professor Tingyi S. Lin and postgraduate students at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, represents the Echinacea plant as gentle, natural and one of many non-harmful options that people can choose for promoting wound healing and enhancing their immune system.
Echoing United Nation’s Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s, June 26, 2011 worldwide message calling on all nations to actively continue observance of the UN 1987 General Assembly’s resolution to have an International Day – June 26th- as a day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, President Ma Ying-jeou and Minister of Education, Dr. Chiang Wei-ling, pledged their support to helping Taiwan “say no to drugs.”
They continued by saying that Taiwan has a responsibility to counteract drug trafficking and drug abuse, especially among young people. Currently, the effects from drugs permeate all areas of our society; our families, schools, communities and neighborhoods. Each of us has been touched by the dark hand of illegal drugs. It is time to “say no to drugs.”
The “ECHINACEA CAMPAIGN” will be promoted with a campus-to-community approach and the Ministry of Education intends to share Taiwan’s on-going educational experience with the international community.
Programs and projects include establishing an inter-ministerial Echinacea Sports Preparatory Working Group and the “Echinacea Campaign Promotion Committee” in response to and in support of the United Nation’s call for nations to become involved with its World Drug Day campaign.
The Ministry of Education has announced that the month of June will annually recognize and promote anti-drug awareness activities. Additionally, the MOE has announced that all schools throughout Taiwan will hold “ECHINACEA CAMPAIGN” school activities on the first day of every month.
Traditional holidays, such as Dragon Boat Festival, June 23, 2012, Valentine’s Day, August 23, 2012, and the Mid-autumn Festival, September 30, 2012, will act as special days for students, families and friends to be reminded of their relationships to each other and how they can help each other to “say no to drugs.”
Special “ECHINACEA CAMPAIGN” products have been created to help promote the campaign’s message. Soon, flags, silicone sports bracelets, stickers, and traditional cultural holiday items, such as moon cakes and red envelopes, will be seen all over Taiwan.
With the approach of this year’s World Drug Day, the Ministry of Education has created many “Echinacea Campaign” invitation cards ( in 9 different languages)for local and international students.
For more information on the “ECHINACEA CAMPAIGN”, please visit http://enc.moe.edu.tw/about.php
