Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) presents awards to key people and/or organizations that have made valuable contributions to tobacco control and have helped make World No Tobacco Day and its theme a great success. These awards are an expression of WHO's appreciation of the great time and effort that these contributors have invested in the campaigns, as well as in fighting tobacco.
This year, five World No Tobacco Day awards were presented to:
Dr Hamdi El Sayed, Head of the Egyptian Medical Syndicate and Member of Parliament, Egypt
Dr Seyed Hassan Arefi, Professor and Scientific Member, Tehran Medical School, Islamic Republic of Iran
Mr George Kordahi, Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme, Middle East
His Excellency Hajar Ahmed Hajar Albenali, Minister of Public Health, Qatar
His Excellency Usama Bin Abdel Maguid Shobokshi, Former Minister of Health, Saudi Arabia
These individuals have been actively working in tobacco control for years. They have participated in numerous tobacco control-related activities to raise the awareness of the general public and decision-makers about tobacco and its harmful effects, as well as about the importance of adopting and implementing tobacco control laws. They have also been instrumental in advocating for the signature and ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
