Messages from other colleagues

  

 

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Leif was a dear friend and colleague. I learned so much and being around him was a joy. Given Leif’s brilliance and strength, it must have been very hard for him when his health
began failing. The giants of injury control are leaving us.  

Is there going to be a memorial service or symposium in his honor? If given enough warning, I would make every effort to attend….

Stay in touch!

Philip L. Graitcer

St Simons Island, GA

404-245-9780

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All of us are deeply missed Leif, the founder of International Safe Community Movement. 

Although Leif just come to visit China few times, I clearly remember the day that he come to hold the designation for COSHA to be an Affiliate Support Center in 2008，he was smiling.

Yesterday, I meet Mr. Zhang Baoming, the former president of COSHA, and told him this news. He is 83 this year, he was also missed this old friend deeply, and ask me to  extend his regards to Leif's family and friends. He appreciate Leif's contribution to the community safety work very much.

We will always remember Leif when we talk about Safe Community.

Yours Sincerely！

Ge Shiyou COSHA

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Dear all;

I am so sorry to be the bearer of some very sad news 

He was a giant, and he will be missed.

 

Chen Wentao

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Dear friends,

I am so sorry to hear about Professor Leif Svanström has left us.

He was a wonderful person and will be sadly missed.

I pray for his 'rest in peace'

If there is anything we could do to help, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Jeongyee Bae, PhD.

Professor, Inje University

Chair, Inje University Institute for Safe Community 

Director, International Safe Community Research Center of Busan Metropolitan

Director, Safe Community Research Center of Gimhae City

 

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Rest in Peace Leif. He was a great friend and mentor. He will be sorely missed.

 

Best,

Max Vosskuhler

 

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Dear all

 

It’s so sad to hear that we lost beloved Professor Leif Svanstrom..

It was because of the Safe Community Project that I got to know him and I decided to focus my research on injury prevention.

May his spirit rest in peace.

Best

Shumei Wang

 

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This is saddening news.

Many people have avoided unnecessary suffering because of the efforts of Professor Leif Svanström.

We will remember him in the way he most wanted to be remembered.

 

Zhao Pengxia

 

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RIP Leif Svanstrom

 

It is with mixed feelings that I pause to reflect on Leif’s passing.

 

Along with the obvious sadness at such a profound loss, there is satisfaction in acknowledging a well-lived life.  It has been special to read about Leif's global impact.

 

He was a larger-than-life character with a vision to change the world. 

 

There is so much needless suffering in the world due to injury and trauma.  Every seven seconds, someone dies due to injury (4.4M people per year), and countless more are hospitalised or suffer permanent physical disability or psychological trauma.    Leif committed his life to change that and showing us how to do it

 

He reminded us that this problem has physical, psychological, social, cultural and economic dimensions.  Leif understood and taught by example the addressing injury and trauma require sound science and effective social intervention.  The two go hand in hand.   Neither is effective without the other

 

His vision established the biennial World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion – the preeminent gathering of researchers and practitioners working in the field.  An invaluable precedent to promote a solid evidence base of injury and safety promotion practice

 

But Leif knew that research was not enough, practical evidence-informed action was needed at the level it was most impactful – the community.    To this end, he established the International Safe Community movement, which he promoted with passion and unwavering commitment.  Based on his vision, a network of 435 communities with a population footprint of over 90 million people were mobilised to make the world a safer place to live, work and play, one community at a time.

 

Who knows how many people owe their lives to Leif’s vision?  Who knows how many communities will step up to share this vision in the future?

 

Or task is to acknowledge Leif's life in the way he most wanted.  By recommitting to Leif's vision to change the world for the better.

 

Leif has shown us it can be done and how to do it. 

 

It’s now up to us to carry the work forward.

 

Dale

 

Associate Professor Dr Dale Hanson

Previous Chair ISCCC

 

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Rest in Peace Prof. Svanstrom. It was honour, pleasure and inspiration to work with him.

 

Deepest condolences to his family and friends and Safe Community network.

 

Prof. Fimka Tozija, MD, PhD

 

Safe Community Affeliate Support Center

 

Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia

 

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Deeply saddened to know that our respected and beloved Prof Leif has left us. He has been an inspiration for our in the field of Injury Prevention for many years.... we will be missing him very much. Condolences to his family and friends....May his Soul Rest in Peace...

 

Krishna Nirmalya Sen 

India

 

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Leif leaves an enormous legacy around the world. He always challenged my American ways of thinking about community and safety. My work and my community continue to benefit from Leif's life work.

 

Marcia Howell

Center for Safe Alaskans

 

Marcia Howell

Executive Director

Center for Safe Alaskans

 

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

 

This is really sad news. Leif was an outstanding person, a talented scientist, a wise teacher, an ideological inspirer, a founder and "the Chomolungma" of the International Safe Communities Movement. The number of years of lives he has saved by preventing injury deaths is numerous times the years of his own life. Striving for worldwide safety, Leif was a man of the world with no borders. Let the teacher continue in his followers.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Alexander V Kudryavtsev, PhD

 

Head, International Research Competence Centre,

Central Scientific Research Laboratory,

Northern State Medical University,

Arkhangelsk, Russia /

Associate Professor, Arctic Health Research,

Dept. of Community Medicine,

Faculty of Health Sciences,

UiT The Arctic University of Norway,

Tromsø, Norway

 

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Dear all,

He was my co-supervisor during my PhD and I feel very sad he has left us, but I believe he is and he will be alive as long as the big safety community movement he started remains alive.

 

Homayoun Sadeghi-bazargani MD, PhD

Dean, Health Management & Safety Promotion Research Institute

Tabriz University of Medical Sciences

Tabriz, Iran

 

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Dear friends

 

We are so saddened to hear about this loss!  Leif had been our good friend and mentor in all these years.  We are most grateful for his friendship and guidance.

 

On behalf of our Council, please convey our deepest sympathy to Mrs Svanstrom and the family at this sad time.

 

Warmest regards

Catherine Wong

Occupational Safety and Health Council Hong Kong

 

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I am very sad to hear that our beloved Professor Leif Svanström has left us last night.  He was our teacher and mentor as well as a good friend on the International Safe Community Movement.  His leadership and humor will never be forgotten.

 

May his spirit rest in peace. 

 

 

Joonpil Cho

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On behalf of all community safety workers in Thailand, I would like to express my deepest condolences on the passing of Professor Leif Svanstrom. He is our friend, our teacher and our inspiration. We will continue his efforts to do our best to ensure safety for all people. The memory of him will never be forgotten forever. We pray for you in a better place and may your soul rest in peace.

 

Adisak Plitponkarnpim, MD, MPH

Director, National institute of Child and family development,

and Child injury prevention and safety promotion research center

Mahidol university

 

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Dear All

 

His wonderful steps still remain deep in my mind.

 

May his spirit rest in peace!

 

sincerely,

 

Namsoo Park

 

Namsoo Park, Ph.D. 

 

 

Professor, Department of Health Management, Hyupsung Univeristy, Korea

 

Chair, Center for Community Health and Safety, Hyupsung University, Korea

 

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Dear all,

 

Very sad to hear that our beloved Professor Leif Svanström has passed away.

His Santa Claus-like figure, his earnest speech and attentive listening demeanor, kept turning in my mind.

 

We will carry on his unfulfilled wish by continuing to promote the Safe Communities movement and implement injury prevention and safety promotion.

 

May his spirit rest in peace!

 

Sincerely yours,

 

Lu

Lu Pai, Ph.D.

Chair, Taiwanese Community Safety Promotion Center

         --International Safe Community Support Center & 

           International Safe School Certifying Center

Chair, Asian Coalition of International Safe Community   Support Centers

 

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Dear friends,

 

So sad to know that we lost Prof. Leif Svanstrom.

He has been so much loved and must be missed.

 

What he has taught me helped me many times and guided me to what I am

today.

 

Changes he has made in safety promotion over the world will

remain in for the future.

 

May his spirit rest in peace.

 

Yoko

 

YOKO SHIRAISHI Ph.D(Policy Science)

 

Chair

Japan Institution for Safe Communities(JISC)

-Safe Community Support Center-

-Safe School Support/Certifying Center-

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R.I.P. professor Leif Svanstrom

 

Sunny Li

 

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R.I.P. professor Leif Svanstrom

 

Mirjana Milankov

 

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