Awardees for World No Tobacco Day

The WNTD awards recognize international achievements in the fight against the global tobacco epidemic and in the promotion of tobacco control initiatives and policies. They are awarded to individuals and institutions, selected for long-term commitment and outstanding contribution in research, advocacy, health promotion, capacity building as well as other activities that promote and reinforce tobacco control. 

Dr Aurelijus Veryga, President, Baltic Tobacco and Alcohol Control Coalition and Lithuanian Tobacco and Alcohol Control Coalition
Dr Veryga has been actively involved in national and international tobacco control for more than 10 years. He has coordinated NGO activities in lobbying for 100% smoke-free legislation. Currently Dr Veryga is working for implementation of pictorial warnings on tobacco products and in the field of tobacco taxation.

Ministry of Health, Romania
The Ministry of Health of Romania proposed, in early 2008, to enforce compulsory labeling of all cigarettes packages with pictorials. Romania is the second country in WHO EURO to implement pictorials after Belgium.

Dr Nikolary Gerasimenko, Deputy Head of the Committee for Health Protection of Russian Parliament DUMA
Dr Gerasimenko is an officially recognized leader of the fight against tobacco in Russia. It was his personal efforts that hastened the process of adopting the WHO FCTC by the Russian Federation and initiated proceedings on the changes in legislation in the sphere of tobacco usage.

Dr Vesna Kerstin Petric, Head of Sector for Health Promotion and Healthy Life Styles, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia
Dr Vesna Kerstin Petric is actively involved in the tobacco prevention sector at the Ministry of Health. Her great support of the new tobacco legislation that was adopted in Slovenia in August 2007 strongly contributed to the fact that tobacco use has decreased by 10% in the last 14 years.