Reconnect, Network, Knowledge Exchange, Learning and Best Practices are all key words that ISSUP National Chapters used to describe the ISSUP 2024 event in Thessaloniki.
The National Chapters global meeting which formed part of the pre-conference activities was a huge success and a key highlight of the ISSUP – Thessaloniki experience. ISSUP National Chapters from around the world met in the Vellidis conference centre building in Thessaloniki to learn, share knowledge and explore opportunities for enhancing national workforce capacity in drug demand reduction. To the new National Chapters, it provided a practical orientation and introduction to the vision of ISSUP; whereas to the existing National Chapters, it was a time to refresh, rebuild and reconnect.
The world map icebreaker was a perfect start to the two-day event. Under the coordination of the National Chapters Advisory Committee, delegates raced to identify their countries on the poster map whiles introducing themselves to the group. This preliminary introduction formed the basis for a later breakout session to identify National Chapter needs and discuss initiatives such as the expertise directory and buddy program.
‘Building Youth Leaders in Prevention’ was another item on the meeting agenda. Isabella Araujo from CICAD provided an update on the Youth Forum and the progress in the Latin America region. The experiences of ISSUP Uganda and ISSUP Kazakhstan also served as unique case studies for discussing the ISSUP Youth Initiative roll-out.
In a ‘meet & greet’ session, the attending partner organisations offered National Chapters a glimpse into their scope of work and the local opportunities for partnership. The Global coalition update and the overview of synthetic drugs delivered by Maggie Nardi (INL) and Thom Browne (ISSUP Honorary President) respectively were essential to enhancing the scientific knowledge base of attendants. As a new dimension to the operational structure of ISSUP, Joanna Travis-Roberts – ISSUP Chief Executive, introduced the new vision and mission of ISSUP and the thought processes leading to the new development.
Beyond the two-day day event, National Chapters had the chance to engage in side-meetings and regional groupings. One such meeting was the African National Chapters meeting with the African Union (AU). This was a unique opportunity to enhance the ISSUP – AU collaboration on the continent.
It was not all presentations and learning but fun and excitement. The city tour of Thessaloniki and a walkthrough the ancient Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai (Vergina) were unforgettable highlights of the event. To complement the experience, ISSUP Greece hosted the National Chapters to a widespread of traditional Greek cuisine on a mountaintop vineyard with breath-taking scenes.
To sum up, the National Chapters general meeting coupled with the entire conference event was a rewarding and memorable experience. The knowledge gained, resources shared and networks made within the rich historic landscape of Thessaloniki has definitely left a profound impact on our delegates and a renewed sense of commitment to our shared mission.
Check out the event photo gallery in the ISSUP Flickr album.
Gallery
