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UNIS/NAR/679 |
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Japanese Pop Singer and the DAPC to Donate Profits from CD VIENNA, 25 January (UN Information Service) -- Japanese pop star Tetsuya Komuro, and the Drug Abuse Prevention Centre ( DAPC) of Japan will donate the profits from a new anti-drug CD to the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) to support drug abuse prevention programmes. The CD, released last month by Sony Records, will soon be available in the international market. Mr. Komuro and DAPC Chairman Kajime Kamimura formalized that offer in an agreement signed yesterday in Tokyo with Pino Arlacchi, Executive Director of the Vienna-based United Nations Office of Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP). Under that agreement, profits from the international sales of the CD "Happiness for Three, Loneliness for Three" will be donated to the UNDCP for drug abuse prevention projects worldwide. Profits from domestic sales of the recording will go to the DAPC for similar projects in Japan. The song, by Mr. Komuro, is recorded in Japanese, English, Chinese and Spanish, sung by four different artists. In recognition of Mr. Komuro’s "dedication to a drug free Japan", Mr. Arlacchi appointed him as "UN Music Messenger Against Drugs". On the same occasion, Mr. Arlacchi and DAPC Chairman, Mr. Kaminura signed a second agreement for a $370,000 DAPC contribution to UNDCP anti-drug programmes. The DAPC undertakes each year a "No Absolutely No!" fund raising campaign through the work of volunteers and donates part of the proceeds to UNDCP. Since 1994 DAPC’s donations enables UNDCP to support NGOs in more than 80 developing countries to carry out drug abuse prevention activities. "I am particularly pleased to be here today to sign these agreements, which became possible through another wonderful initiative in Japan" stated Mr. Arlacchi in expressing his gratitude to the DAPC for their contribution and to all those who contributed to the production of the anti-drug musical campaign. DAPC was one of the four NGOs to be awarded the first UN Vienna Civil Society Award in July 1999. * * * * * |
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