Minister of Health Dr. El-Gabaly and General Adel Labib sign the declaration of Smoke-free Alexandria, while Dr. Sahar Labib, Director of the Tobacco Control Department, looks on.
With these words, the Egyptian Initiative kicked off the first national campaign for Tobacco-Free Egypt, signing a joint document between the Ministry of Health in Egypt and the Alexandria Province for Smoke-free Alexandria.
The press conference was held at Suzanne Mubarak Regional Center for the Development of Women's Health in Alexandria, and was started with the words of Minister of Health Dr. Hatem El-Gabaly and the Governor of Alexandria and General Adel Labib. The scene was expressive, sincere and resolute.
The minister and the governor also answered questions from journalists and media representatives at the press conference, and their responses confirm the determination of political leaders and government to combat smoking and to create a healthy, safe environment without tobacco.
The press conference impressed upon all those present the importance of this initiative, which is a model for campaigns for other cities across Egypt to follow when they also become smoke-free.
Following the event, the minister and governor went to visit the largest mural about smoking done by Egyptian youth. The mural expresses the solidarity of fighting the scourge of smoking.
My congratulations to Egypt and the Egyptians for this initiative. Congratulations to the more than 80 percent of Egyptians who are non-smokers, and for the presence of laws that now protect them and provide them with a healthy, safe environment. And congratulations to all smokers whom this campaign and this law will help encourage to quit smoking.
Remember this date, June 10th, 2010 for it holds all the hope, challenges and best-practice models for our beloved Egypt, which deserves to be "Tobacco-Free Egypt."