Indian Cancer Society Celebrates World No-Tobacco Day 2013; 5-min Skits & Posters Competition Held

Source from:  India Education Diary 04/28/2013

Indian Cancer Society (ICS) organized No Tobacco Day today in which leading Delhi schools participated. The event took place at Navy School Chanakyapuri. Children from 15 leading schools in Delhi / NCR participated in Poster Making and Skit Competition on 'Ban Tobacco Advertisement & Sponsorship'.

Eminent Judges included: Dr. Lily Gangmei -. Directorate of Health Services, Dr. Attreyi Ganguli - World Health Organisation, Ms. Monika Arora – Tobacco Control Expert, Cmde. Ghanshyam Ojha – Director Naval Education, Mrs. Usha Jain – Luxor Writing Instruments.

"We realise that 31st May the World No Tobacco Day is a closed holiday for all schools in India every year. However, for creating awareness on harmful effects of tobacco, it is necessary that school children are actively involved. We therefore planned activity that can be undertaken by children before schools close", said Ms Jyotsna Govil, Secretary Indian Cancer Society.

Indian Cancer Society, Delhi, works throughout the year, taking Cancer & Tobacco Control messages to schools across Delhi & the NCR. Our message concentrates on Awareness & Prevention of Cancer through appropriate Diet, Physical Activity & avoiding Tobacco. The World No-Tobacco Day Skits & Poster Competition help us evaluate the clarity of our message. 

On World No-Tobacco Day, young people give Volunteers an idea of how successfully their message of No Tobacco has been understood. Each School/Team is invited to interpret a topic in 5 mins, with 5 actors & 5 props. Teams are marked on originality, content, presentation, etc. Schools also participate in Poster competition, interpreting the same topic in art.

Around 15 leading schools from Delhi/NCR participated in the event and made posters & skit on the theme of 'Ban Tobacco Advertisement & Sponsorship' as well as presented Nukkad Nataks with an appeal to not to adopt Tobacco & Cigarette ever.

'Yuva peedhi ko vigyapan barbad kar rahe hain', 'Youngsters adopting the products following their favourite stars / players', 'Due to big sponsorships these products are being advertised on larger scale in films & cricket', 'When you know about the ill-effect, why you are manufacturing the poison' etc. were some of the thinkable points children raised through the nukkad nataks. Even some soulful lines 'Cigarette to jalti hai tumhe bhi jalayegi, yeh to maut ki seedhi hai ek din tumhe gale lagayegi..', 'Lat lag gayi - lag gayi aadat yeh galat lag gayi..', 'Nasha maza nahin saza hai..', 'Chaaron filmi or malmal khan, charon aur faila madirapan ka toofan, hindustan se pakistan sab karte dhumrapan, bolo mera Bharat mahan..', were well appreciated by all during their presentation. The nukkad nataks also highlighted 'family atmosphere', 'the cool effect - 'I'm cool because I smoke', 'Confusion of Yamraj and his educational conversation with Brahma ji' during the No Tobacco day celebrations.

We are happy to be part of such campaign / programme, we tried our best to portray natural act through our presentation, which highlighted the ill-effects of tobacco at large scale, said a student from DPS - Gurgaon.

It was great participating in the competition and come-out as one of the winners for my poster, which says 'Put It Out, Before It Put You Out', said Mili Mathur student of DPS, Sushant Lok.

During the programme students of Navy Children School took an oath to not consume Tobacco in their life ever. Enditem