SECOND SEMESTER 2009
EDITOR: Dr. Isabel Giralt,
Barcelona, September 09
Dear Colleagues and members of ICMART
I am writing to you after the successful ICMART Congress in Thessaloniki. We have enjoyed thoroughly the cordiality of Greek people, their joyful dances and, of course, the quality of the lectures, discussions, communications and posters.
In this moving and progressing context Mr. Guenther Schulz has introduced the current situation of the European Health Policy and the opportunity for CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine), including acupuncture, to play an increasing role in recognition and standardization.
The ICMART thanks the Medical Acupuncture Society of Northern Greece for their great work and congratulate them for the large participation of doctors to this congress.
As you know ICMART is an important association related to acupuncture, with more than 35.000 doctors. We have to be aware about it. We represent a large number of medical practitioners, and that means we must have a strong influence in our common issue of acupuncture.
ICMART is a big “FORUM” where we can find each other, where we can share knowledge and experience, from where we can have a vast impact. We have to continue working in this direction. In this context and with help of the ICMART board we have to work hard to reach these goals.
Dr Marshall Sager, who is in charge of the Education Committee, has been, since last year, trying to gather information and objective data from our member associations. This is the first important step in the completion of the first draft of the ICMART Lexicon of Medical Acupuncture.
The purpose of the ICMART Lexicon of Medical Acupuncture is to gain national and international recognition for the validity of the education and training of physician acupuncturists in member countries and regions worldwide. It will be a credible, professional document, giving credibility to the value of the services provided by physicians of ICMART member organizations. It is our goal to have the Lexicon adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations and is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters including establishing international standards for medical practice.
The ICMART Lexicon of Medical Acupuncture will be our response and contribution to The Beijing Declaration adopted by the WHO Congress on Traditional Medicine, Beijing, China, 8 November 2008, which adopted the need for individual countries to establish systems for the qualification and accreditation of complementary medicine (CAM) practitioners.
The ICMART Board urges prompt response from the various ICMART Delegates to Dr. Sager’s recent e-mail request for information if it hasn’t been done already. You will find the questionnaire also attached to this email.
On the other hand we are very happy to remind you that our next World congress will take place in Riga, Latvia, from 28 to 30 May, 2010. The webside is just open, have a look !
http://www.icmart2010.org
During this congress we shall have our General Assembly and elections. We would like to remind you that according to the ICMART bylaws (which have been agreed to by vote in 2006, during the General Assembly in Washington and of which you have all received a copy) we have to vote by email before the Riga congress takes place.
So, in due time, at the beginning of next year, all delegates will receive by email instructions regarding the nominations and the elections. However, as we have informed you in Thessaloniki, only the associations which have paid their ICMART membership fee before the end of March 2010 (as written in the by-laws) will be able to vote. Please, pay in time to help to have ICMART’s accounts in order and support the work of our treasurer. You will receive a reminder at the beginning of next year.
I would like to wish to people from the northern hemisphere a successful autumn and to the southern people an enjoyable spring !!
Looking forward to see you in Riga
Dr.Isabel Giralt
ICMART president