(Photo: Opening Ceremony)
The 2017 Belt and Road Initiative Global Health International Congress & 2017 Chinese Preventive Medicine Association-Chinese Society on Global Health Annual Meeting was successfully held September 24 to 27, 2017 in Xi’an, China. It was hosted by the Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center and the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association-Chinese Society on Global Health, organized by the Global Health Institute, School of Public Health, School of Public Policy and Administration, School of Pharmacy of Xi'an Jiaotong University, and co-organized by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), People's Medical Publishing House Co., LTD., International Chinese Nutrition Young Scholar Network, China Institute of Sport Science, and Nutrition Society of Shaanxi Province. The three-day international congress was also a commemorative activity of the 105th Anniversary of Medical Education and the 80th Anniversary of the Anti-Japanese Relocation of Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center.
During the conference opening ceremony on September 25, on behalf of Prof. Shuguo Wang, President of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Prof. Hong Yan, Vice President and Director of Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, the Honorary President of the Congress, delivered a welcome message to the attendees.
Prof. Youfa Wang, Founding Dean of the Xi'an Jiaotong University Global Health Institute and Vice President of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association-Chinese Society on Global Health, was the President of the Congress. The other co-presidents of the congress were Prof. Guihua Zhuang, Dean of the Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Public Health, Dr. Tieru Han, President of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association-Chinese Society on Global Health, and Dr. Xiaonong Zhou, Vice President of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association-Chinese Society on Global Health.
(Photo: Prof. Hong Yan, Vice President of Xi’an Jiaotong University, delivered the welcome message on behalf of President Shuguo Wang)
Approximately 400 delegates from 29 countries attended the congress, including international leaders and experts such as Dr. Haik Nikogosian, Special Representative of the WHO Director for Europe; Dr. Yong Feng, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission; Dr. Liang Zhang, Director of the Chinese Institute of Sports Science; Prof. Liming Li, Vice President of Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, Chairman of Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Control Committee of Experts, Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission, Professor of Peking University Health Science Center; Dr. Weizhong Yang, Executive Vice President & Secretary General of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association; Yang Hao, President of People’s Medical Publishing House Co., LTD; Dr. Tieru Han, Former Senior Official of WHO & President of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association - Chinese Society on Global Health; Prof. Luis Moreno Aznar, President of the Spanish Nutrition Society; Dr. Suying Chang, Officer of United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF); Dr. Gangqiang Ding, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Nutrition Society & Director of the Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Prof. Duo Li, President of the Asia-Pacific Clinical Nutrition Society; Prof. Anatoly Skalny, Vice President of the European Society for Trace Elements and Minerals; Dr. Truong Tuyet Mai, Vice Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, Vietnam; Volodymyr Pavlovych Kazarin, President of Tavrida National V.I. Vernadsky University from Ukraine; Prof. Deliang Wen, President of China Medical University; and Prof. Dayi Hu, a leading expert of cardiovascular diseases in China.
More than 40 leaders and experts of health sectors from 13 countries and regions participated in the congress, including those from countries such as the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, Ukraine, Pakistan, Georgia, Armenia, and Iran. In addition, more than 40 international students from 16 countries participated in the congress including countries such as Afghanistan, Tanzania, Bangladesh, South Africa, Peru, Ethiopia, Sudan, Mauritania, Somalia, Syria, Dominican Republic, and Eritrea.
The congress was organized based on five themes: (1) The Belt and Road Initiative Global Health Collaboration; (2) the 2017 Chinese Preventive Medicine Association-Chinese Society on Global Health Annual Meeting; (3) Establishing the Health Sub-Alliance of the University Alliance of the Silk Road; (4) the 105th Anniversary of Medical Education and the 80th Anniversary of the Anti-Japanese Relocation of Xi’an Jiaotong University; and (5) Launching ceremony of the new English “Global Health Journal” published by the People's Medical Publishing House Co., LTD.
(Photo: Launching Ceremony of the new English “Global Health Journal” published by the People's Medical Publishing House Co., LTD)
The congress included three keynote speech forums, ten sub-forums, and four young scholar forums. In addition, the congress included poster exhibitions and the International Chinese Nutrition Young Scholar Network (ICNYSN) Nutrition Salon & and the launching ceremony of the Global Net Talk Platform.
The delegates had extensive exchange and discussion on the focal issues, future cooperation, and development in the global health sector. The entire congress covered a broad range of topics and stimulated rich conversations among hundreds of attendees. During the congress, 24 young scholars came to the fore in the Young Scholar Forum and were awarded for their Excellent Presentations.
The Health Science Sub-Alliance of the University Alliance of the Silk Road (UASR) was formally established during the conference. Twelve universities from China and overseas joined the Sub-Alliance, which aims to promote international collaboration in health-related research and education, as well as in health promotion efforts. The UASR was founded on May 22, 2015 led by Xi'an Jiaotong University for the purpose of developing China's “Belt and Road Initiative”. At present, UASR has 135 universities across 35 countries and regions on 5 continents. It aims to foster openness and tolerance, and promote training and cooperative education and international higher learning platform. The Belt and Road Initiative has covered about 70 countries worldwide.
(Photo: Ceremony of Establishing the Health Sub-Alliance of the University Alliance of the Silk Road)
In addition, the media reported on the congress. Kwangmyong, ScienceNet, Cnwest, Phoenix News Media, Healthy Times, Shaanxi Daily News, Phoenix News Media-Shaanxi Channel, Shaanxi Media Network, Shaanxi Science and Technology Media Network, Sanqin Daily, and the Xi'an Television Station all covered the event.
The conference successfully concluded on September 27, 2017. The congress was highly valued by many delegates from China and abroad. For example, some have left messages saying, “This is the most spectacular congress I have ever participated in! Many thanks to the organizers of the conference. It has reproduced the spectacular ancient Silk Road event!” “A very grand, exciting, and successful conference; has inspired me to become curious about the opening of the ancient Silk Road...” Many international experts and leaders who attended the conference have congratulated Xi'an Jiaotong University on organizing this successful congress, expressed their gratitude to organizers, and hopes to attend future meetings. Many participants have expressed a strong desire to develop collaborations with Xi'an Jiaotong University, and look forward to making joint efforts and contributions to the health of people living in the Belt and Road countries!
