WFOT Update

Dr Emma George, WFOT 1st Alternative Delegate

The World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress is upon us! This event occurs every four years, and for many of us it feels like a long time since we were together in South Africa. Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants from all over the world will gather in Paris, France, and online at the end of August for a conference full of learning, networking and fun.

WFOT President Samantha Shann was a recent guest on the Occupied podcast – hosted by Australian occupational therapist Brock Cook – talking all things WFOT and about the excitement leading up to the congress. You can listen to this online or wherever you access podcasts. The theme for the 2022 Congress is Occupational R’Evolution with an aim to explore advancements in practice and highlight leadership of the profession as we navigate change. Three French occupational therapists (Dr Eric Sortia, Dr Jean-Michel Caire and Dr Samuel Pouplin) will discuss different perspectives on “Research, innovative practices, occupational model: levers of a cyclical R-evolution”. Associate Professor Ana Malfitano from Brazil is presenting a keynote address on “An anthropophagy of knowledge proposition in occupational therapy: Driving our actions towards social life”. In her keynote speech, author and artist Priscille Deborah will share her story after a triple amputation and rebuilding her life. For people attending the WFOT Congress, the social program has been published and includes a welcome reception and congress party at Paris City Hall. For students, there is a forum on “The process of construction of professional identity in occupational therapy students”. The full program for the congress is published online.

Full Programme | WFOT International Congress 2022 (wfotcongress2022.org)

In addition to the congress, delegates from member organisations take part in the 35th WFOT Council Meeting. All three OTA delegates (Adam Lo, Lynette Mackenzie and myself) will be in Paris the week before the congress for strategic

Indigenous Stone painting artworks as OTA gifts to share at 18th WFOT congress Paris, August 2022

planning, focused sessions on practice, education and research, and the election of delegates into leadership roles.

In preparation for our time with other delegates in Paris, Adam Lo and I have been sourcing gifts to present to our international colleagues. There are so many wonderful emblems, delicacies and representations of Australia, so it is hard to limit what we take across the world. I am excited to share that I have been working with an Aboriginal artist Mickey Barlow, to hand-paint gifts for delegates with a symbol of a meeting place – the coming together and sharing of ideas and knowledge. We started this work during NAIDOC week to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We acknowledge the significant contributions of First Nations occupational therapists to our profession, and recognise the need for collaboration, decolonisation and reconciliation. I am thankful for my Aboriginal colleagues in South Australia and beyond who continue to challenge me and keep working with me to share ideas and knowledge. When Adam and I present the handmade gifts to delegates from around the world, we hope this provides opportunity to explain the significance of meeting together and learning from each other, and that this will continue beyond the meetings held in Paris.

Please follow the OTA delegates on Twitter for live updates from Paris. Emma George (@EmKGeorge) / Twitter Adam Lo (@mradamlo) / Twitter Lynette Mackenzie (@mac_lynette) / Twitter WFOT Statements to the 75th World Health Assembly

WFOT continues to advocate and work with the World Health Organization (WHO). WFOT submitted joint statements to the 22-28 May 2022 World Health Assembly of the WHO on the topics of: • Rehabilitation and noncommunicable diseases • Rehabilitation in health emergencies • Rehabilitation and preparedness and response for health emergencies