Social Justice, Climate Change, Mental Health, Marginalized Populations -
Top Agenda.

University of Washington students from across disciplines have come together to create a conference focusing on issues they feel are critical but largely ignored in global health in hopes of bringing a new direction to the global health agenda. You can register HERE! Rates go up on April 20th, so register now to take advantage of our lowest rates!

The 9th Annual Western Regional International Health Conference titled “At a Crossroads: Choosing Hidden Paths in Global Health” will take place on UW campus April 27-29. “We are trying to identify topics in global health that get marginalized and elevate them at our event,” said Colleen Fulp, the graduate student lead organizer of the event.

The keynote speaker is acclaimed human rights advocate and thought leader Kavita Ramdas, the executive director of a newly launched program on social entrepreneurship at Stanford University.

Her talk is titled,”Nothing Less than a Revolution: Why I’m Preoccupied with Inequality, Social Justice and Health.”

“Kavita was chosen by students because she is a visionary who believes in grassroots organizing as a way of changing the world,” said Daren Wade, director of the Global Health Resource Center, the networking center within the Department of Global Health. “She addresses topics of women as agents of social change, peace building, and human rights and her work is such a match for the areas in global health our students want to showcase in this conference.”

The conference, co-sponsored by more than two dozen universities and colleges along the West Coast and Canada, is organized around six tracks – global mental health, refocusing the margins, organizing and funding of global health, clinical issues in global health, communications and technology in global health, and the environment and global health. Within these tracks are 18 breakout sessions with some of the top leaders in global health in this region.

More than 25 UW undergraduate and graduate/professional students across disciplines have been organizing this conference.

Three evocative plenary panels covering global health diplomacy, funding and the future of global health; global mental health; and global health and the environment will also be presented. Speakers include Jaime Sepulveda (UC-San Francisco), Timothy Brewer (McGill University), Guy Palmer (Washington State University),Judith Wasserheit (University of Washington), Jurgen Unutzer (University of Washington), Deepa Rao (University of Washington), Paul Bolton (Johns Hopkins University), Benita Beamon (University of Washington), and Lori Hunter (University of Colorado at Boulder).

Sixty abstracts touching on a wide variety of topics were accepted as posters will be displayed per day on Saturday and Sunday.

Among the many breakout sessions, topics include “The Understudy’s Role: Global Health’s Next Challenge;” “Non-communicable/Chronic Diseases;” “Super Powers in Global Health;” “Trauma and Conflict in Global Health;” “Health: A Human Right?” “Utilizing Storytelling and Multi-Media Tools in Global Health;” “The Environment and Food and Water Security;” and “Improving Global Health with New Technology.”

On Saturday evening, the event, “Testify, Demystify, Electrify, Occupy!” will be presented in conjunction with the Global 99 group on campus to address the ways occupy movements have the potential to improve the lives of people on a global scale. A closing session will address how we can move “Beyond Good Intentions” in global health and showcase ways participants can take action in ways that make a difference and consider important ethical concerns.

CO-SPONSORED BY: Canadian Federation of Medical Students; Canadian Studies Center, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington; Center for Global Studies, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington; Critical Development Forum; Global 99; Global Washington; McGill University; Oregon Health & Sciences University, Global Health Center; Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences; Seattle Central Community College; Seattle University; Shoreline Community College; Simon Fraser University; Stanford University; University of British Columbia, Global Health Initiative, Division of Global Health, Department of Family Practice; University of British Columbia, School of Population and Public Health; University of California, San Francisco, Global Health Sciences; University of Colorado Population Center, Institute of Behavioral Science; University of Victoria, School of Public Health and Social Policy; University of Washington; University of Washington, Bothell; University of Washington, Tacoma; Washington Global Health Alliance; Washington State University; Western Washington University; Whitman College; World Affairs Council.

Registration is $50 for students and medical residents and $100 for community members. For more information and to register, please go to www.wrihc.org.