Dear Fellow Social Workers,
Welcome to the beautiful Asia World City of Hong Kong –
a perfect link between the East and the West, both geographical
and cultural. Hong Kong is blessed with a highly modernized
health care system and advanced social work practices in
health and mental health. There are interesting integrations
of Western approaches with local cultural practices of Chinese
medicine and exercises that we are keen to share.
With internationalization and advancement in medical technology,
global citizens live under increasing stress due to growing
poverty, health inequalities and uncertainties resulted
from emergence of new diseases, natural disasters, human
tragedies and pain caused by social problems and conflicts.
As social workers, we all look for creative solutions and
long for pragmatic interventions leading to harmony and
bliss for all. The Fifth International Conference on Social
Work in Health and Mental Health will provide a platform
to share evidence-based practices among social workers from
diverse cultures and societies.
The Fifth Conference is going to be an occasion on which
participants can share our recent discoveries of new knowledge
and skills of social work in health and mental health, creating
synergy to address the needs of people in our time. Within
the five-day programme, there will be physical exercises,
tai-chi, hands-on techniques of Asian origin, Satellite
Symposia in social service organizations, field visits as
well as social programme and local hospitality with “Hong
Kong style”. You are welcomed to submit abstracts and proposals
for presentations, early morning experiential workshops,
symposia of special interests, lunch roundtables, poster
sessions, exhibitions as well as pre-conference workshops.
You can share your practice wisdom from outstanding projects
and researches on social work in health and mental health
in formats most appropriate to your situation. Study Tours
and Post-Conference Tours will also be organized for you
to get a first-hand experience of the cultural heritage
of the East.
The weather in December is around 15 - 25˚C. It is ideal
to catch some sunshine while it is cool and comfortable.
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is situated
by the side of the magnificent Victoria Harbour and is conveniently
connected to the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and cross harbour
ferry. It is an area with a wide range of restaurants and
shops. You can have a true adventure to temples, museums
and night markets, as well as have your fortune told and
your suits made. I am sure it will be an enjoyable and unique
experience to you in the Pearl of the Orient. I look forward
to seeing you in December 2006.
Please feel free to contact us if you need any further information.
See you in Hong Kong.
 |
With warmest regards,
Cecilia L W Chan
Chair of Organizing Committee
Professor, Dept of Social Work and Social Administration
Director, Centre on Behavioral Health
The University of Hong Kong |
