! I’m writing to share with you information about the International One Welfare Conference being hosted by the Manitoba Government this fall. I think you will find it interesting and useful as it expands the concept of One Health to focus on the intersection of human mental health and animal welfare. Specifically, this conference intends to address the complex conditions that directly impact both human and animal well-being by bringing together scientists, decision makers, industry stakeholders and front-line professionals to discuss the best practices, examine the strengths and weaknesses of current models of care, and identify possible real-world solutions. I think it is going to be exciting to hear the perspectives and experiences from the full-spectrum of public health professionals – from academics and scientists to policy makers and regulators to the boots-on-the-ground first responders and front-line workers from both the human and animal sectors.
As part of the conference, we will be having a Gala dinner and reception at the stunning Canadian Museum for Human Rights with a keynote address from Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire (Ret’d), Senator, whose book “Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda,” was awarded the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction in 2004. He will be speaking on understanding mental health, including conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder that can affect both those directly impacted by an event and those responding to one. He is a phenomenal speaker and if you have never heard him speak, this will be a great place to do so, with an audience of your One Welfare colleagues and an opportunity to tour the museum’s exhibits after. (Note that this event is also going to be open to the public, so seats are expected to go quickly).
Another optional add-on to the conference is a Psychological First Aid Course provided by the Canadian Red Cross. This course is being tailored to fit the One Welfare audience specifically and will be available at a discounted rate (there is a limited number of seats available).
The details are below in this email or see the attached invitation or the website for more information. Please feel free to forward to your students, staff and any animal health and human health colleagues you think might be interested in this topic and let me know if you have any questions. I hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
Megan Bergman, DVM
Chief Veterinary Officer
Manitoba Agriculture
545 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5S6
P: (204) 945-7685 F: (204) 945-4327
International One Welfare Conference
Dates: September 26th – 27th, 2016; Workshop on September 28th, 2016
Location: The Radisson Hotel, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Website: http://onewelfareconference.ca/about/
Gala Dinner and Networking Reception featuring Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire (Ret’d)
Keynote Speaker: Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire (Ret’d) (http://www.romeodallaire.com/biography.html)
Date: September 26th, 2016
Location: The Canadian Human Rights Museum
Website: http://onewelfareconference.ca/program/keynote-dinner-romeo-a-dallaire/
Psychological First Aid Course
The Canadian Red Cross will conduct the course and it will be specifically tailored for this event and available at a discounted rate.
Dates: September 27th and 28th, 2016
Location: The Radisson Hotel, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Website: http://onewelfareconference.ca/program/schedule-at-a-glance/psychological-first-aid-training/