A group of students from ORT University who participated in a 2005 event called "24 Hours for a Drug-Free Uruguay" (see related article), pose with U.S. Public Affairs officer Robert Zimmerman during the presentation of a new ad campaign by the Alliance for a Drug-Free Uruguay, held April 10, 2008.

The Alliance for a Drug-Free Uruguay (Alianza por un Uruguay sin Drogas) launched a new drug prevention ad campaign during a presentation held at the ORT University in Montevideo. The adds, prepared free of charge by Uruguayan PR experts, will target child drug abuse by encouraging parents to communicate with their children and talk about drugs. The campaign includes a parents' guide with tips on how to raise awareness in children of all ages including teenagers.

Several Uruguayan media outlets such as dailies, radio and TV, have donated space and air time to run the ads. The parent's guide, available online, will be distributed throughout the country in supermarkets, movie theatres and sporting events.

The Alliance for a Drug-Free Uruguay was created in 1999. The U.S. Embassy in Montevideo and several American and Uruguayan companies are co-sponsors of this program, a private sector drug prevention education initiative modeled on the White House’s “Partnership for a Drug-Free America.” Its board members are, Jose Luis Hernandez (former general manager of United Airlines, Uruguay); Jorge Lepra (former Minister of Industry), Miguel Mariatti (former CEO Johnson & Johnson Uruguay), Jorge Stighetti (board member, Abitab), Diego Cardozo (director of the National Broadcasting Association), Rubek Orlando (U.S. Embassy media specialist), Jose Maria Boix (general manager, Mastercard Uruguay) and Montserrat Ramos (former president, Asociación Uruguaya de Agencias de Publicidad).

Additional information on the Alliance for a Drug-Free Uruguay is available in Spanish from the organization's Website.

Students, educators and government officials attending the April 10 presentation of the new Drug-Free Uruguay campaign at the ORT University in Montevideo.		Dean Eduardo Hipogrosso, U.S. Public Affairs officer Robert Zimmerman, National Drug Secretariat's Milton Romani, and U.S. Embassy media specialist Rubek Orlando.