The president of the World Health Organization will be in Rainy River District from Nov. 16-18 to promote safety and injury prevention, and see how we’re doing in these areas through various site visits and presentations.
Dr. Leif Svanstrom has made the district one of his only two scheduled stops in North America (the other is Anchorage, Alaska).
His visit is an important one for the Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition, which is striving to get Rainy River District accredited by WHO as a “safe community” by the year 2001.
Meeting Dr. Svanstrom in person is a big step in that direction, noted RRVSC chairman Doug Anderson.
“With such status, we can start promoting ourselves as one of 36 communities in the world designated under [the Safe Communities Incentive Program],” he said, adding such a designation could lead to increased business opportunities for the district.
“When you look at the safety movement, it’s one of the biggest in the world today,” Anderson continued. “We’re on the cutting edge, and I hope we can make the most of it.”
Geoff Gillon, with the Rainy River Future Development Corp. here, said Dr. Svanstrom’s visit is indicative of the district’s commitment to safety.
“We’ve been able to forward community safety to a point where we’ve been noticed,” he said. “It shows we can work together for a collective goal.”
“The coalition has worked diligently for six years to prepare for, and host, this site visit–and we expect our efforts will lead the way for other areas in the future,” echoed Anderson.
Dr. Svanstrom’s visit gets underway Monday when he joins RRVSC members and guests at the Manitou Mounds cultural centre for a potluck and reception, including traditional dances by the Rainy River First Nation.
Tuesday’s activities start with a district-wide planning session, “Creating a Co-ordinated Community Vision,” slated to run from 1-4:30 p.m. at the Red Dog Inn here.
Later that night, Dr. Svanstrom will be the keynote speaker at a dinner and reception at La Place Rendez-Vous. The evening also will feature a “safety song” sung by a choir of local students, and area senior citizens acting in a play, “Pills and Spills,” co-ordinated by the Committee for Seniors’ Safety.
Dr. Svanstrom’s last day in the district will be spent on site visits to workplaces and area communities.