WFOT Update

Belong, be you, and appreciate our global impact

Dr Emma George, WFOT 1st Alternative Delegate

World Occupational Therapy Day was celebrated on 27 October. I have no doubt that occupational therapists, their teams and students hosted events, discussed the wonderful depth and breadth of our work, and occupied their time in interesting and creative ways. I took some time to reflect on the theme “Belong. Be You” and what it means to belong to the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

I asked our WFOT delegate, Adam Lo, to share his thoughts on belonging to WFOT: “As a part of the WFOT family, I feel that as a profession we are making collective global impacts on the well-being of individuals, families, communities and society as a whole. It is also lovely to see how we apply occupational therapy in transcendent ways, intersecting across cultures, geography, languages and religion. The family ties through WFOT allow the sharing of knowledge, research, wisdom, resources and experiences for occupational therapists across the world from the past, the present and into the future.”

Adam’s reflection reminded me of the many times that WFOT past president Marilyn Pattison has described WFOT as a family and place for all of us to belong. This connection to a WFOT family was echoed by second alternate delegate to WFOT Lynette Mackenzie when she said: “My time with WFOT has been so professionally and personally enriching. It is like a family. I have

made so many friends and colleagues from around the world, and being in the research program have worked on projects with some other great researchers, and extended my network enormously. Contributing to the Asia Pacific Regional Group has also been really important for occupational therapy in the region. I have also become much more aware of the advances in occupational therapy outside the Englishspeaking world that I think we can overlook at times. There is so much need in the world that WFOT makes a real contribution.”

As members of OTA, we are automatically members of WFOT and warmly welcomed into the global community of occupational therapists. The WFOT works tirelessly to advocate for occupational rights, and the essential work of our profession in promoting health and well-being. As members we are represented on a global stage, including collaborations with the United Nations and World Health Organization.

WFOT has been a source of strength and identity for me in my professional career as I have learnt to belong and be me. I have worked as a community development worker, project officer, case manager, occupational therapist, international volunteer and more. Throughout the past 20 years I have always felt a strong sense of belonging to our profession, even when my adventures took me far

Sewing in Bangladesh, 2012.

from my home in Adelaide. Belonging to WFOT has sustained me when working in remote places and within the academic world of public health. My identity as an occupational therapist has kept me focused on occupation at the heart of my work.

Some of my favourite occupational therapy memories involve simple occupations, such as sewing with women in Kazakhstan and Bangladesh, and enjoying sport in multiple languages throughout Asia. Drinking all different types of tea and coffee has proven to be a meaningful activity for me, and a way to engage with people and communities in every place I have visited. Belonging to WFOT has given me the opportunity to connect with occupational therapists near and far, and there is still much for all of us to learn from each other. I’ll be tuned in online for the Asia Pacific Occupational Therapy Congress, to be hosted by the Philippines from 22-24 November 2021. You can still register for this event at apotc2020. com. I hope to see you there. In the meantime, you can access the WFOT Bulletin, which is published twice a year and is available through the WFOT website at wfot.org/bulletin.

Drinking tea with family in Kazakhstan, 2009.

WFOT congress

After careful consideration, a decision has been made to reschedule the 18th WFOT Congress in Paris, France, to 28-31 August, 2022. There are still uncertainties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, including concerns relating to vaccine availability, government restrictions and safe travel. The congress venue has provided flexibility to reschedule the event to the August dates to provide a greater opportunity for the occupational therapy community to meet safely and participate in an outstanding congress in 2022. Registration for the congress will open in early 2022.