Report on the 7th World Congress on Conductive Education in Hong Kong
From December 5-8, 2010, Brent Page, Manager of Conductive Education®, represented March of Dimes Canada, and, in his volunteer role, the Association for Conductive Education in North America, at the 7th World Congress on Conductive Education in Hong Kong. This Congress was organized by the International Peto Association and coordinated and hosted on the ground by the Spastics Association of Hong Kong (SAHK).
March of Dimes Canada was fortunate to have two abstracts accepted for podium presentations - one titled "A Different Kind of Camp" which detailed our joint CE/Recreation teen camps held bi-annually at Geneva Park in Orillia; the other titled "Conductive Education Strategic Directions in Canada: The March of Dimes Canada Plan', which outlined our plan for the continued development of conductive education in Canada.
Brent attended a session on international research to support MODC efforts in this endeavour on the first day. That evening, the Congress kicked off with a grand Chinese-style banquet, entertainment, and the investiture of several 'Honorary Conductors" to the International Peto Association.
Several plenary sessions mixed with many breakout sessions followed over the next two and a half days held at the Hong Kong Visitor and Convention Centre. Both MODC podium presentations were delivered on Tuesday, one in Session 7: CE from Management and Administrative Perspectives; the other in Session 11: CE from User’s Perspectives. Both sessions were very well attended with approximately 60 delegates present and were simultaneously translated from English into Mandarin.
During breaks, delegates roamed the 100-odd poster presentations set up outside the plenary rooms.
There were 400-odd delegates in attendance representing roughly 20 countries and 76 separate conductive education, or, in the case of Mainland China, conductive education-like, centres. Approximately half of the delegates in attendance were from Mainland China and represented a varied mix of practitioners including, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, teachers, teacher aides and government bureaucrats.
The Secretary General of the China Association of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, Ms. Xiao Ming Xu, announced this success has attracted special attention in the field of rehabilitation for children with disabilities in particular, and during the 12th "Five-Year Plan" conductive education will be promoted and implemented nationwide in China.
Brent was able to meet and mingle with many influential figures in the international conductive education scene. Invitations were extended to many to visit the March of Dimes program if their travels bring them to Canada.
The official announcement of the host of the 8th World Congress came at the conclusion of the congress. The next World Congress will occur during October 2013 in Munich, Germany.
The 7th World Congress on Conductive Education was an exceptionally influential tool for the growth of conductive education in Mainland China. The Congress is a truly inspiring event to attend for the strength of community and common purpose it instils. Meeting globally reaffirms the work we do, births new relationships, turns colleagues into friends, and makes us all aware we are part of something bigger: a global movement of conductive education.
"It was an honour to attend the Congress on March of Dimes Canada’s behalf and I want to thank my team for holding the fort during my absence, and Andria, Jerry, Gail and Donna for providing the support to make it happen," says Brent.