More than 40 public health, medical, and business professionals from 18 countries convened in Washington, DC in January 2001 to attend the first ever SAFE KIDS Worldwide Leadership Conference entitled, “Building the Global Team”. The countries represented were Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.

The SAFE KIDS Worldwide mission is to prevent unintentional injury to children across the globe. It is a network of childhood injury control programs that successfully link organizations, communities, and the private sector in effective philanthropy and cause marketing to better protect children. Members of the SAFE KIDS Worldwide network are committed to the SAFE KIDS model that includes:

• Sound scientific research to address childhood injuries.

• Grassroots coalition building for implementation of prevention activities.

• Activation of public policy efforts.

• Sophisticated communications strategies to create national awareness.

• Proven, cost effective interventions to prevent childhood injury that are tailored to customs and conditions of each culture.

SAFE KIDS Worldwide will join public and private organizations, health care professionals, government officials, corporate executives, and others committed to childhood injury prevention. For additional information, please contact: Camilla Taft, MPH, SAFE KIDS Worldwide Manager, at ctaft{at}safekids.org.