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 International Drug Users Day 2000
November 1, 2000 (part III of 3)
By Theo Van Dam
'Dr. Alderwright Award'
A yearly highlight is the presentation of the 'Dr. Alderwright Award' to the organisation or initiative, which has been voted the most effective and helpful organisation for users in the past year. In order to come into consideration for this special award, users and their organisations can submit the names of other organisations throughout the entire year. Because this year we also celebrated the fifth anniversary of the DUD, we decided to write letters to all organisations, in which we asked them to submit their own names and/or that of others. The number of replies was very limited.
Two organisations were ultimately left after a vote during a meeting of the 'Landelijk Overleg Gebruikersgroepen (LOG), loosely translated 'National Meeting of User Groups'. These two organisations were: OAC Heerlen and Amsterdam's MAINLINE Foundation. The award went to MAINLINE. To this day, organisations presented with this award have received a great deal of publicity. The unique aspect of this award is the fact that it is presented by the users. It is an endorsement of the work method and represents support from the grass roots level.
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1. Right to Use
Due to the fifth anniversary of the User Day, the LSD has been granted funding by the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS) for the production of a publication about the work of the LSD. The booklet 'Right to Use' was written by Rob Jezek, and describes the work of Dutch user organisations, as well as the various activities carried out by LSD abroad.
The first copy was presented to Tjibbe Reitsma, chairman of the LSD committee.
In addition to the Dutch
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version, a summarised English version of this booklet was published. Due to the specific work method of the LSD, namely working on grass roots level, this booklet will provide an abundance of information to many user organisations, drug workers, and policy-makers abroad.
Pat O' Hare, executive director of the International Harm Reduction Association, has agreed to accept the first copy of the English version of 'Right to Use'.
The booklets were eagerly snapped up by everyone present.
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