FIRST TURKISH CONGRESS OF ONE HEALTH, KONYA, TURKEY
On behalf of the Institute for International Health at Michigan State University and Selcuk University, we extend this special invitation to attend the First Turkish Congress of One Health. The program is planned for April 9-10, 2015 at Selcuk University Convention Center in Konya, Turkey.
The One Health Initiative is an all-inclusive collaboration between human health, animal health, ecosystem and agriculture alongside other scientific and environmentally related disciplines. Prominent physicians, veterinarians, researchers, and communications and social science scholars worldwide have endorsed the action-oriented effort.
There will be state-of-art keynote and plenarry presentations. These presentations will help guide our discussion with an introduction to the One Health Intiative and its impact to date. Further dialogue will include the role academic institutions and partnering organizations have had and potentially will have in advancing One Health, the considerations for team organizations to further advocatie and implement One Health nationally and internationally, and finally, how multidicsipliinary, multi sector groups might further collaborate with various proponents of One Health.
We hope you can join us for this important discussion. A flyer is attached for your further information. Should you have a colleague who is interested to participate, please feel free to share the flyer with them.
Most sincerely,
Prof. Dr. Reza Nassiri, MSU Prof. Dr. Kenan Peker, Selcuk University
1st Turkish Congress of One Health
April 9-10, 2015
Selçuk University, Konya, TURKEY
The future and sustainability of our planet is interconnected to humans, animals and eco system. As custodians, we have shared responsibility to safeguard the vitality of our planet. Disease outbreaks, health disparities and inequities, natural disasters, environmental health problems, emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases, global warming and climate change, food and water securities as well as best agricultural practices are among some urgent examples of a new paradigm shift, which should be integrated into the holistic approach of One Health in anticipation of integrated solutions. Therefore, it’s time for One Health action and implementation.
The concept of One Health relates to human securities and how such securities can harmonize with the health of animals and the environment. Furthermore, human needs are increasingly not just interdependent, but, in fact, dependent upon many vital factors including the health of animals, environmental and public health standards to attain and sustain human capital.
A healthy way of living requires intra-communal, inter-communal, and cross-communal One Health efforts to ameliorate the triple health threats (human, animal and ecosystem). In order to achieve the optimal health condition, fostering interdisciplinary and integrative solutions are far more efficacious and synergistic to the current challenges of our planet.
Creating a One Health workforce consisting of multiple stakeholders provides us with the opportunity not only to understand the rapid dynamics of our environment and its relationship with humans and animals, but also, it allows us to discover new knowledge and how to transform it into policy and governance. Developing a robust roadmap of One Health can articulate effective strategies to better implement the concept of One Health to improve the standards of life and human capital. In addition to emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases, the two most urgent issues of global health challenges are food and water securities, which are interconnected with micro-climate and macro-climate change. Applying the concept of One Health will allow us to formulate best standards for food and environmental safety, and agricultural practices.
The One Health concept encourages preventing and controlling negative elements of our lives, which for the benefit of our own health and development should be harmonized with animals and our environment. Here exists a unique opportunity to develop the concept and philosophy of One Health in the context of the human security system transcending national and international boundaries. An important element of such a goal is creating a value chain of life cycle and value economics, which would help underpin and buttress the balance between social and environmental responsibilities.
Our commitment to our health on the planet should grow stronger by improving the living conditions, household essentials, and human development indices. The One Health concept provides us with an opportunity to re-examine the role of our civilization vis-à-vis a better and sustainable planet. An essential element of such a vision is value economics, which incorporates capital economics into life insurance.
To achieve the optimal One Health standards, the contributing role of universities is pivotal in One Health knowledge, research, economy, policy and governance. In addition, engagement of multiple stakeholders at the local, regional, national and international levels is essential to leverage One Health action plans into robust implementation strategies globally. Thus, the 1st Turkish Congress of One Health held at Selçuk University, provides a forum for all academics, physicians, veterinarians, agriculturalists, environmental health scientists, public health scientists and officers, and students along with national and international health agencies, NGOs, and government agencies with a unique opportunity for examining the role of One Health for a better planet and optimal health via cross-disciplinary interactions and collaborations.
