"The Management of Trauma among Children, Adolescents and the Community" Opening Session
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Alexandria—
"The Management of Trauma among Children, Adolescents and the Community" conference was opened on Saturday, 12 May 2007. The Conference, organized by the Institute for Peace Studies, in collaboration with The Preventive Child Mental Health Association in Egypt and the World Health Organization, was attended by Ambassador Ali Maher, Director of the Institute for Peace Studies, Dr. Amira Seif El-Din, Director of the Preventive Child Mental Health Association in Egypt, Dr. Mohamed Yasmy, Advisor of Mental Health at the World Health Organization, and General Ezzat Shaaban, on behalf of General Adel Labib, Governor of Alexandria. The opening session was followed by a lecture entitled "Trauma Trans-Cultural Aspects", given by Dr. Ahmed Okasha.
Ambassador Ali Maher stated, in his opening address, that reaching a better and a more humanitarian society is one of the main goals of the Institute for Peace Studies. He stressed the importance of treating the victims of traumas a result of natural disasters, wars, conflicts, abuse and domestic violence, understanding the real trauma effects, and providing necessary tools to deal with such effects. Thus, there is a dire need to adopt an approach including several branches of knowledge, in addition to Psychology.
Dr. Mohamed Yasmy, spoke on the importance of increasing the awareness on mental health problems resulting from traumas, referring to the importance of these issues especially in our region, which 84% of its 22 countries are subject to conflicts or natural disasters, the effects of which last for years and years. The WHO endeavors to spread the awareness on traumas, means to protect children against them and to treat the psychological damages.
General Ezzat Shaaban wished the conference all success. In her address, Dr. Amira Seif El-Din, presented the art competition, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to view trauma, as a result of accidents or armed conflict and national disasters, in the eyes of children from 6-18 years, whether from an individual experience or through mass media. Dr. Seif El-Din handed out the winners' awards. The Conference was accompanied by an art exhibition for the children's works.