Events

Between East and West

18th International Congress of the International Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions „Carrying Hope Between East and West for 3 C's: Children, Cultures, Commitments“ took place in Istanbul from 30th of April to 3rd of May 2008.
Istanbul, a unique city where the East and West meet, is a natural and cultural bridge between Europe and Asia; it's a thriving universal metropolis with more than 10 million inhabitants. Over the course of millennia, Istanbul has been the seat of three great empires, namely the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman, and a site of convergence for people of many cultures and beliefs, who came together and enjoyed life in peace and harmony.
Program of the Congress was really diverse – from short messages to comprehensive presentations, lectures and trainings.
This year International project funded by European Commission and leaded by State Mental Health Center (Lithuania) „Children and adolescent mental health in enlarged European Union: development of effective policies and practices“ (further – CAMHE) was presented in the Congress. Project‘s scientific leader Dainius Puras and project‘s leader Ona Davidoniene made a presentation titled „Child mental health in new European democracies: Search for effective policies and practices“. 

There was a separate symposium on bullying – that is one of main topics in CAMHEE project as well. In this symposium project‘s scientific leader Dainius Puras has presented Lithuanian experience solving this relevant and painful issue of bullying, abuse among children (presentation title „Prevention of bullying: Lithuanian experience“).
Congress participants had a great opportunity to hear a very broad range of experience from specialists all other the world as well as to contract useful professional partnership with colleagues from other countries.
Unforgettable impression was made by Turkish colleagues experience presented on 2nd of May. A group of Congress participants gathered in one of Hilton Hotel rooms eager to find out about ways to use multi-media to promote school mental health.  The first idea that came into the mind was that probably we will hear a presentation about some TV broadcasting for children on some important mental health issues. Holding our breath we were waiting until the presentation starts.
We were really astonished when realized that nobody is going to talk about the power of mass-media, TV broadcasting or any other similar things. Everything was more simple and more geniously. Turkish authority requested to create a prevention program for schools and few specialists (authors of the presentation - Bulent Coskun and Aysen Coskun) decided to look for an interactive and interesting way to talk about mental health with children. That is how idea to use popular TV series came. It was decided to us every characteristic episodes from these series to illustrate some typical ways of behavior and relationship and to discuss this material with a students. It is known that people easier talk about some others experience, feelings, emotions rather than themselves. Educators used to stop the episodes asking children to simulate the situation to perform how it could be ended on their opinion. Such kind of training is really attractive, informative and interactive.

Congress participants soon get involved in a very vivid discussion about experience of similar ways of trainings in their own countries. Representatives of State Mental Health Center (Lithuania) have presented their experience in the field – for some years they have organized contest for children asking them to create video clips and video films that talk about different mental health aspects (various kinds of addiction, bullying, abuse etc.). Later this material is used by center specialists in lectures at schools. Probably the most important thing is that in such activity children start an equivalent discussion with adults, mental health specialists about the problems they face. It should be stressed that children are very clever; they usually see the problem very clearly and can suggest the best way how to reach the youngsters and how to help them in the best way.
Congress participants were interested in Lithuanian experience and that is how idea to create a network of specialists in different countries came onto a surface. Members of the group could exchange the audiovisual material they have that could be used in the trainings or lectures. At first we were a little bit frustrated about the language barrier as each country has material in their own language –Turkish, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Arabic. Later we realized that usually body language is more important than words. And such kind of language is global and understandable for all of us.
Few days after the return from the Congress letter from our partner in Egypt – Shewikar Fallak - arrived reminding us what we have agreed on, what we have committed on in Istanbul. This letter gave us a hope that cooperation started in Congress has a future and will help to bridge East and West.