DUSHANBE, June 24, 2011, Asia-Plus – A festival dedicated to International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is being held in Dushanbe today.

Organized by the Drug Control Agency (DCA), Dushanbe Mayor’s Office and OSCE Office in Tajikistan, the festival is held under the motto of “Zindagiro Orzu Shirin Namud” (Dream Makes Life Beautiful).

The source at the DCA says the main objective of the festival is in drawing attention of youth to the problem of drug addiction.

Known Tajik singers such as Daler Nazarov, Zikrialloh Hakimov, Jonibek Murodov, Samad Ghani, Muhammadrofe Karomatullo and Noziya Karomatullo are participating n the festival as guests.  

The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade.  It has been held annually since 1988 on June 26, a date chosen to commemorate Lin Zexu''s dismantling of the opium trade in Humen, Guangdong, just before the First Opium War in China.  The observance was instituted by General Assembly resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987.