Dear All,
Your Board has now been up and running for some months. If you are wondering how we are functioning in these Covid-19 concerning times I attach a screenshot of your Board (above) at work with all of us meeting up most recently on 7 March from early morning in Buenos Aires to late into the night in Melbourne (and Europe luckily in the middle of the day). The digital facilities to enable to Board to meet and move forward are indeed excellent and we are very lucky to be able to work in this way – it is most productive.
As the situation with Covid 19 continues to escalate globally we are pleased to share with you a presentation from Symphorosa Chan who has been in the front line in Hong Kong on how to tackle the spread of this virus at a Departmental level. Many thanks to Symphorosa.
The memories of Melbourne remain and I would like to share with you a new picture gallery on the website chronicling the 2019 WCPAG. Enjoy the visit – and if you have any photographs of your own of the Congress please submit them via the website with the available facility.
Details of the next WCPAG in 2022 are yet to be finalised and I will let you all know as soon as we have an agreed venue.
For those of you who have not paid your dues for 2020 we shall be chasing and next year (or sooner if you prefer) we shall be asking you to pay your dues for 2020, 2021 and 2022 at the same time. This will facilitate arrangements for voting delegates in good time for the next Congress. Lisa can provide you with an invoice if needed before then and there is also the Pay Pal facility for you to use.
I am delighted to advise you (with thanks to our Board members) that the welcome letter to the organisation is now available in English, Spanish, French and Chinese, and these are attached for your attention and hopeful distribution. Any other offers to translate the letter in other languages are most welcome. I have also attached our individual and society membership application forms, so please get to work on any PAG National Societies who are not current members of FIGIJ.
We have been working towards strengthening our organisation and am very pleased to advise you that FIGIJ have been given an opportunity to participate at the next FIGO Regional Congress (Africa and Eastern Mediterranean) to be held in Kigali, Rwanda in June. Details are attached. (Photo of FIGIJ President Paul Wood meeting with Mary Ann Lumsden (CEO FIGO) and Hani Fawzi (FIGO Director of Projects) at the FIGO offices to explore common goals and collaboration.
Various projects are under way including the overdue revision of our Statutes and new initiatives on education and resources. If you feel that you would like to contribute to our working parties on education and resources or advocacy and strategy please contact me with your potential contribution. I hope to hear from many of you.
Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, FIGIJ has just been notified that due to the unprecedented situation with the coronavirus the EURAPAG Congress in Rotterdam in June which has been carefully crafted to make it an experience to remember will now be deferred until next spring when we can all celebrate PAG and a much welcome return to normality.
Please keep well and look after yourselves and your families. Stay safe.
Yours in PAG,
Paul Wood
President FIGIJ