Dear WAIMH members,
The new Perspectives in Infant Mental Health is a double issue ending WAIMH year 2012. The year was exciting and busy from the perspective of the WAIMH Central Office.
The WAIMH members started the eventful year by electing a new WAIMH Board member. The candidates were Astrid Berg, Karlen Lyons-Ruth, Nancy Suchman and Jean Wittenberg. Karlen Lyons-Ruth was elected to the WAIMH Board of Directors for a four-year period.
Next, the WAIMH members were asked about their opinion for guiding the election of the future WAIMH President-Elect. The candidates were Campbell Paul and Kai von Klitzing. The result of this tentative enquiry supported Kai von Klitzing, who was then unanimously elected by the Board of Directors as the new President-Elect. He will start his term of Presidency in 2016. Miri Keren started her WAIMH 2012-16 Presidency during the Cape Town Congress, and we want to thank Antoine Guedeney for his efforts and leadership as the President 2008-12 and now as the Past President of WAIMH.
Until April the WAIMH Office was busy arranging the 13th World Congress in Cape Town, South Africa. The collaboration with the hard-working Local Organizing Committee, the Program Committee and the Onscreen Conferences-Congress Bureau worked well. The program, facilities, and arrangements were all abundant and beautiful. At this stage we are also happy to inform you that the congress in Cape Town was a financial success. We especially want to thank Astrid Berg and the Local Organizing Committee, and Deborah McTeer and Jolandi Ackermann in Onscreen Conferences for this success!
The planning for the next WAIMH World Congress in Edinburgh in 2014 is already well under way, with Professor Jane Barlow from Warwick chairing the Local Organizing Committee. To avoid overlap with other congresses occurring at the same time we had to change the initial dates for the congress. Please note that the new dates are 14-18th June, 2014. Mark this in your calendars and inform your friends and colleagues of the change!
In addition to these tasks the Central Office has been involved in cooperation with Martin St-André and Maree Foley in the intense development of the collaboration between WAIMH and the WAIMH Affiliates.
We also constantly develop the WAIMH web-page (www.waimh.org). There is a page including Resources and Links. Take a look! The web-page is crucial for our members, because the membership applications and renewals are done online. Remember to renew your WAIMH membership (see more guidelines on page 22 in this journal)!
WAIMH wants to globally promote the development of research and services for infants. Please support your colleagues in developing countries by letting them know they can apply for a WAIMH Beacon Club scholarship. This is a free one-year membership of WAIMH including the subscription of the Infant Mental Health Journal and is intended for people from developing countries. The value of the scholarship for one person is 132.50 USD yearly. The application is filled in electronically at the WAIMH website.
Next year, 2013, will involve lots of activities in the organization. The preparations for the 14th WAIMH World Congress (2014) continue, and the call for papers will be sent out to you during spring 2013. There will be changes in the WAIMH Board of Directors as the four-year term of some Board Members is ending. The Office continues to develop ways to collaborate more with the Affiliates via the Affiliate Council, Martin St-André and Maree Foley. WAIMH is also about to face the modern world, as new initiatives and possibilities for utilizing the web and social media are being presented to us. Remember that each of you can also contact us with your ideas for improving our organization.
Thank you for year 2012, and may you all have a Successful and Happy New Year!
From the Kauppi Campus – News from WAIMH Central Office
Authors
Kaukonen, Pälvi,
Puura, Kaija,
Kiuru, Leena,
Sorsa, Minna,
Finland
