International tobacco-control award for Indian social activist and Thailand's health minister
September 21, 2008
By Aman Loona
Hemant Goswami, a social activist from India, and Thailand's Health minister have been selected for the prestigious international "Global Smokefree Partnership Award" in recognition of their work in controlling the menace of tobacco. The honour is awarded every year by "The Global Smokefree Partnership," a joint worldwide initiative of over twenty international organisations formed to promote effective smoke-free air policies worldwide.
Reacting to the news, Goswami said, "Such recognition reassures a person that he is moving in the right direction and that the work undertaken by him is making impact. It's a real honour to be selected for such an international award. I am happy and would like to share the honour with all the associates and people who have provided support to our activities."
Hemant Goswami has been awarded in the category, "Extraordinary Award" for his exceptional and outstanding commitment as a dedicated smoke-free and tobacco control activist to promote the implementation of the guidelines on Article 8 (smoke-free policies) of the "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)" treaty. Hemant is credited with initiating the smoke-free movement in India and for making Chandigarh as the first smoke-free city not only in India but also the first one even in any third world country. A feat which everyone thought would be impossible to achieve in India.
Goswami has been working on the issues of "public health" and "civil rights." Besides being associated with many organisations, Goswami also heads the NGO Burning Brain Society and Society for Prevention of Crime and Corruption. His efforts on tobacco control are globally recognised and have resulted in big reverses for the tobacco industry. The legal action taken by him in 2005 forced one of the tobacco company drop the name of a cigarette brand from the bravery award it was giving for promoting its cigarettes. Another tobacco company was forced to withdraw stock of promotional greeting card worth crores from the market and remove the name of its cigarette brand from its greeting cards meant for sale to children. Goswami was also the lead investigator of the WHO study on "Tobacco in movies and its impact on youth," which highlighted the fact that the tobacco industry was using movies as a vehicle to promote tobacco among youngsters. The initiation, success and sustenance of the first smoke-free Chandigarh is credited to the efforts of Hemant who despite all odds and the apathy of the Government machinery still pushed the smoke-free initiative in India.
Currently Goswami is working to sustain the smoke-free Chandigarh initiative and also helping other States achieve smoke-free status. He is also working on a citizen's movement christened as "Mission Zero Tolerance" to fight corruption.
The Award
The international award given by the international coalition is coordinated by "American Cancer Society" and includes reputed international organisations like; Cancer Research - UK, Global Tobacco Research Network, International Union Against Cancer, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Johnson and Johnson, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Action on Smoking and Health - London, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Pfizer, Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, World Heart Federation and others.
Four awardees were selected from across the world for the 2008 awards. Besides Goswami, the other three who have been selected for the awards are; the Government of Panama, Inter-American Heart Foundation of Mexico and Thailand's Minister of Health. The previous year's recipient of the award includes; President of Uruguay, Mr. Tabaré Vázquez; The Roswell Park Cancer Institute and The World Health Organization's Tobacco Free Initiative.
The award shall be presented the award at the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) conference in Bangkok, Thailand on Wednesday, October 29th 2008.
Hemant Goswami, a social activist from India, and Thailand's Health minister have been selected for the prestigious international "Global Smokefree Partnership Award" in recognition of their work in controlling the menace of tobacco. The honour is awarded every year by "The Global Smokefree Partnership," a joint worldwide initiative of over twenty international organisations formed to promote effective smoke-free air policies worldwide.
Reacting to the news, Goswami said, "Such recognition reassures a person that he is moving in the right direction and that the work undertaken by him is making impact. It's a real honour to be selected for such an international award. I am happy and would like to share the honour with all the associates and people who have provided support to our activities."
Hemant Goswami has been awarded in the category, "Extraordinary Award" for his exceptional and outstanding commitment as a dedicated smoke-free and tobacco control activist to promote the implementation of the guidelines on Article 8 (smoke-free policies) of the "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)" treaty. Hemant is credited with initiating the smoke-free movement in India and for making Chandigarh as the first smoke-free city not only in India but also the first one even in any third world country. A feat which everyone thought would be impossible to achieve in India.
Goswami has been working on the issues of "public health" and "civil rights." Besides being associated with many organisations, Goswami also heads the NGO Burning Brain Society and Society for Prevention of Crime and Corruption. His efforts on tobacco control are globally recognised and have resulted in big reverses for the tobacco industry. The legal action taken by him in 2005 forced one of the tobacco company drop the name of a cigarette brand from the bravery award it was giving for promoting its cigarettes. Another tobacco company was forced to withdraw stock of promotional greeting card worth crores from the market and remove the name of its cigarette brand from its greeting cards meant for sale to children. Goswami was also the lead investigator of the WHO study on "Tobacco in movies and its impact on youth," which highlighted the fact that the tobacco industry was using movies as a vehicle to promote tobacco among youngsters. The initiation, success and sustenance of the first smoke-free Chandigarh is credited to the efforts of Hemant who despite all odds and the apathy of the Government machinery still pushed the smoke-free initiative in India.
Currently Goswami is working to sustain the smoke-free Chandigarh initiative and also helping other States achieve smoke-free status. He is also working on a citizen's movement christened as "Mission Zero Tolerance" to fight corruption.
The Award
The international award given by the international coalition is coordinated by "American Cancer Society" and includes reputed international organisations like; Cancer Research - UK, Global Tobacco Research Network, International Union Against Cancer, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Johnson and Johnson, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Action on Smoking and Health - London, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Pfizer, Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, World Heart Federation and others.
Four awardees were selected from across the world for the 2008 awards. Besides Goswami, the other three who have been selected for the awards are; the Government of Panama, Inter-American Heart Foundation of Mexico and Thailand's Minister of Health. The previous year's recipient of the award includes; President of Uruguay, Mr. Tabaré Vázquez; The Roswell Park Cancer Institute and The World Health Organization's Tobacco Free Initiative.
The award shall be presented the award at the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) conference in Bangkok, Thailand on Wednesday, October 29th 2008.
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