Seminar on disaster preparedness

"Renewal and Regeneration", a three day conference on disaster preparedness with particular emphasis on mental health is to be held in Sri Lanka from May 11 to 13 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

This conference is organised by Samutthana, which is a resource for capacity building of mental health in Sri Lanka. "Peace and Reconciliation" is one of the objectives of Samutthana and the third day of the conference is dedicated to presentations on this theme.

The aim of the conference is to give leading figures in the mental health field and disaster planning experts in the region an opportunity to review how they responded to the tsunami and recent disasters and discuss lessons learnt, while making recommendations for the future. It is hoped that this conference will promote better immediate and medium term planning of mental health activities in response to disasters.

Speakers of this conference are from tsunami affected regions such as Indonesia, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan - a country devastated by earthquake. Topics such as the impact of the tsunami and the conflict in the East and initiatives of working with volunteers in the south of Sri Lanka, research and ethics after a disaster, primary care interventions related to depression and training counsellors on managing alcoholism will b dealt with.

For more information contact: 2686402 (between 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) or 077 6529838. E-mail- info@samutthana.org.lk