As President of the World Association of Cultural Psychiatry, I warmly welcome you to the 4th Word Congress of Cultural Psychiatry, to be held in the beautiful city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The World Association of Cultural Psychiatry was founded to encourage international collaboration, friendship, scholarship, research and compassionate care around the world. Sharing and exchanging best practice, and improving the safety and quality of mental health care is our priority, whilst working with diverse cultures, legal systems, commissioning processes and the wider political and social issues like stigma and funding that affect the quality of care. The theme of the congress is appropriately: Global Challenges & Cultural Psychiatry: Natural Disasters, Conflict, Insecurity, Migration and Spirituality. The congress will include high quality plenary lectures from international experts, and bring together diverse disciplines in shared learning. There will be an active social programme, and visits to local places of beauty. Most importantly, you will be in the company of the best scholars in the world on culture and mental health, and especially those that have dedicated their lives to understanding human conflict and trauma, and its psychological consequences. Of course treatment is one approach, but prevention and social, psychological and legal mechanisms to prevent conflict will be also be discussed. I look forward to seeing you all at this magnificent event, which follows previous World Congresses in London in 2012, Norcia, 2009, and Beijing 2006. Members of the World Association receive substantial discounts on registration fees, so please visit the World Association pages and become a member. The Congress President, Professor Villaseñor-Bayardo has picked an outstanding location and wonderful accommodation within which we shall enjoy research, practice, and theoretical perspectives on culture and mental health. I look forward to welcoming you and talking to you all.
Prof.Kamaldeep Bhui BSc MBBS MSc MD FRCPsych
President of World Association of Cultural Psychiatry
Professor of Cultural Psychiatry & Epidemiology,
Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine
Queen Mary, University of London
