GREECE, Athens & Crete

Actions and Events to mark the 2009 World Day of Remembrance

Initiated and carried out by YOU ARE WHAT U DO–Kostas  Kouvidis, a non profit organization

http://kostaskouvidis.com/front-page

A common appeal for action against car crashes and for the official recognition of the World Day of Remembrance by the Greek government was  adopted by 4 Greek organizations (You Are What U Do- Kostas Kouvidis- Athens, EFTHITA- Rhodos, ESYPROTA- Crete, Initiative Against Illegal Advertisments- Athens) on November 1^st.  This is also an appeal to the victims and their families to break the silence and to all persons and organizations supporting victims in Greece to start a permanent collaboration. A demand to the newly formed government for an essential change in road safety policy is also included, as well as the demand for an essential participation in the Moscow conference (by the Minister of Health, not Transport) and support for the NGO declaration.

More than 300 medical doctors signed a declaration asking the citizens, the media and the authorities to stop the routine use of the term ‘accident’ - irrespective of culpability - in cases of fatal and personal injury crashes. They also demand the official recognition of the Day of Remembrance by the Greek state, as well as a totally different road safety and victim care policy asking for a major role of the Ministry of Health in the planning of those policies. As the number of road traffic victims in Greece has not decreased, but stayed almost static from 2000 to 2008, this is the main public health issue in Greece. The declaration is asking that the Greek government must be represented foremost by the Minister of Health at the Moscow conference. The organizers of this campaign asked to meet the minister in order to discuss with her all the issues (prevention, immediate response/pre-hospital care and hospital and post crash care).  An appeal is also included concerning individuals, social and scientific organizations to participate in the formation of a Coalition Against Road Trauma (CART) in Greece and become a member of the International Coalition - ICART.

Thursday, 12 November - common press conference in Athens about the World Day of Remembrance and the Moscow Conference. (participants: the four organizations who signed the Declaration, the leaders of the doctor’s initiative and the union of the emergency service health professionals). Appeal for a public event in one of the main streets in Athens on November 15^th.

In Heraklion on Crete - in collaboration with the local Union of Teachers and those responsible for civilization and public health programmes in schools – on Monday, 16 November, after World Day, a minute of silence will be held in every school to remember road victims, followed by an hour of discussion with children, as a start to a planned prevention programme in schools.