Stephen Lewis to Speak at OVC Global Development Symposium
April 27, 2012 - News Release
Stephen Lewis, a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS in some of the world’s poorest countries, will be a keynote speaker at the “Global Development Symposium: Critical Links Between Human and Animal Health” as part of the Ontario Veterinary College’s 150th-anniversary celebrations at the University of Guelph May 6 to 9.
“He epitomizes the difference one person can make by focusing their passion, compassion and vision on a singular goal,” said Prof. Cate Dewey, chair of the Department of Population Medicine and symposium co-organizer. “Mr. Lewis empowers others to improve their own lives through community-led projects. The outcome is a powerful and sustainable motivation for change.”
Along with Lewis, a distinguished visiting professor at Ryerson University, the event will feature David Butler-Jones, Canada’s chief public health officer; Brian Evans, Canada’s chief food safety officer and chief veterinary officer; John McDermott, director of the research program on agriculture for improved nutrition and health with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research; and U of G president Alastair Summerlee.
Beyond veterinary medicine, the symposium will explore interdisciplinary approaches to improve public health and food security and strengthen communities. The event will bring together social, environmental, medical and veterinary scientists with policy-makers, students and community members interested in global development.
Co-organizer Prof. Sally Humphries, Sociology and Anthropology, and director of international development studies, said: “The complexity of international development problems demands a sharing of ideas between natural and social scientists, yet such sharing is infrequent. The symposium is designed to overcome this separation by bringing together researchers from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds to problem-solve on the critical links between human and animal health.”
The symposium is open to the public.
For more information, see www.gds2012.ca.
Contact:
Prof. Cate Dewey
Department of Population Medicine
Ontario Veterinary College
University of Guelph
519-824-4120, Ext. 54070
cdewey@uoguelph.ca
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53338, or lhunt@uoguelph.ca, or Shiona Mackenzie, Ext. 56982, or shiona@uoguelph.ca.
