The ISSUP National Chapter family now spans the globe. The ISSUP yearly events offer a vital opportunity for the Chapters to connect (or reconnect) in person and share with each other the work each National Chapter is carrying out in their respective countries.
There are now 11 formally established National Chapters with 9 in the process of development. We were delighted that representatives from 18 of the 20 National Chapters were able to attend the group meetings that took place over the course of three days, as well as individual sessions that often carried on well into the night! We greatly missed the input from our colleagues in Pakistan and Afghanistan, but hopefully, we will be reunited at the next meeting.
We had a full agenda that explored the needs, issues and challenges that had arisen in the past year. There were lengthy and enthusiastic discussions about the different membership levels and training opportunities- both complex issues that left everyone with food for thought!
We were immensely grateful for the fantastic input from Eric Siervo, who gave an enlightening presentation on funding and sustainability - a topic that is always highlighted as a continuous challenge.
Overall, we come away from the meetings with a tremendously positive feeling that is created through hard work, dedication, commitment and cooperation. We want to thank all the National Chapter representatives that were involved for giving us their time and patience, and for listening and contributing to fruitful discussions. It is not always a smooth journey, but by communicating and learning from each other, the National Chapter family continues to grow in quality and strength.
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