ALL THE SAINTS OF BAHIA WELCOME ALL THE WORLD'S HOMEOPATHS

The organizing committee of the 54th Congress of LIGA Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis invites all homeopaths to this world event, to be held in Salvador-Bahia from October 11 to 15, 1999.

José Raimundo, committee coordinator, attended LIGA Congresses in Oaxaca (Mexico), Capri (Italy), Seattle (USA), Amsterdam (Netherlands) and the last Brazilian Congresses, evaluating with colleagues what would be of greater interest to homeopaths in this event marking the end of the millennium.

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Organizing Committee
Dalva Monteiro, Tatiana Bathomarco, Patricia Moura, José Raimundo, Vera Carvalho and Milene Peral

“This event in Bahia comes at an important time for Brazilian homeopathy: its official recognition as a medical specialty, its 3-year-course learning structure and the standardization in the preparation of medicines are some of the significant points reflected in the scientific production of the specialty. In addition, Brazilian hospitality and innate desire in learning and sharing knowledge will certainly make this event unforgettable”, says José Raimundo.

He concludes: “This will be a unique opportunity for you to recycle knowledge, meet and make friends, and chiefly, take part in the most important international homeopathic event. We're waiting for you. Everybody's coming, so join us”

President of the Congress: Margarida Vieira
Organizing Committee: José Raimundo Mota de Jesus (Coordinator), Dalva de Andrade Monteiro, Milene Peral, Patricia Moura, Tatiana Bathomarco and Vera Carvalho
Scientific Committee: Matheus Marim (General Coordinator), Amarilys Toledo (Pharmacy Coordinator)
Publishing Committee: Corrado Bruno (Coordinator)

Start saying farewell to the millennium in October in Bahia
Bahia is getting ready to welcome the world homeopathic community for the end-of-the-millenium congress. SALVADOR is celebrating its 450th anniversary! The City is looking beautiful. You will see a city that was never so attractive. Come and see the rehearsal of the Olodum and Timbalada, dance all the Bahian rhythms, walk around Pelourinho, admire the sunset over Barra Lighthouse.

Visit Praia do Forte, the Tamar project (Marine Turtle Conservation Project) and, if you still have time before or after the congress, go to Lençóis, to Porto Seguro, to the beaches along the Linha Verde (unforgettable spots).

Participate in the scientific part of the Congress, but enjoy yourself as well – you deserve it.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
The main purpose of the Organizing Committee of the 54th LMHI Congress, is to show to our foreign colleagues our efforts towards the promotion of Homeopathy, as developed here, as well as to accede to our Brazilian colleagues request for clinical themes, the main choice for improvement of all those consulted.

We shall, thus, repeat the same structure of Brazilian homeopathic congresses that have been praised as events of intense and productive discussions, innovative proposals and significant advances in the approach to homeopathic science and art.

We have invited the Brazilian Homeopathic Medical Association (AMHB) who will present, through forums, developments in the field of education, research and public health, and hold discussions with foreign participants on the organizational structure of the institution. Additionally, there will be round tables on the learning process of the homeopath, provings and homeopathy´s social activities together with our foreign colleagues deeply involved in these areas.

There will be early courses on the experience of our foreign colleagues in the clinical area, complemented with lectures and round tables throughout the day, covering such themes as the wholeness of a being in homeopathic practice, pediatrics, serious acute cases, women during menopause, immunizations, homeopathy and its concomitance with other therapies, etc.

In the sessions allocated for free themes there will be presentations of innovative proposals signaling advances in homeopathy. The homeopathic pharmacy, similar to Brazilian events, will promote discussions in parallel rooms, submitting its experience in isolated congresses. Veterinary and dentistry activities will be merged within the medical area.

Request for submitting papers
We renew our earlier request to colleagues interested in submitting papers for the free theme session, to do so by April 30.

The Scientific Committee will be responsible for all papers submitted to it, provided that the topic focuses on some aspect of Homeopathy. Preference will be given to the presentation and publication of original works which demonstrate a significant step forward in the consolidation and improvement of homeopathic research. The author(s) will receive the Scientific Committee’s evaluation of their work and their decision as to whether the paper will be included in the 54th Congress.

PRESENTATION
The paper must contain:

A cover page including:

• The title of the paper followed by its English translation (if necessary). This title must be brief, specific and descriptive, containing key words reflecting the paper’s subject matter;
• Author(s) first and last name(s);
• Name and address of the Institution where the paper was developed;
• Mailing address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address(es) where the author(s) can be reached.

An abstract on the second page.
This abstract must not exceed 500 words and should include the aim of the work, materials or case studies and method, results and conclusions.
The abstract must be accompanied by an English translation (if written in a different language), and six key words.
Following the cover page and the abstract, all papers must contain an Introduction, Materials or Case Studies, Method, Results, Discussion, Conclusions and Bibliography. The length of the paper is open, and the author(s) may use the number of pages required to fully express their ideas.
Discussions of clinical case studies must be thoroughly documented and include extensive observation following results considered to be positive. They must contain an Introduction justifying the importance of the research, the presentation of an extensive case study, a discussion, conclusions and a bibliography.
Illustrations
good-quality photographs and other illustrations accompanying the paper must be identified if the author intends to use them in an oral presentation.

TEXT FORMAT
Page size A4; font: Times New Roman 12, double spaced.
Floppy disk: papers must be submitted on a 3,5" floppy disk using one of the following formats: Microsoft Word for Windows, Microsoft Word for Macintosh, Word Perfect or Lotus Ami Pro. Two printed copies must be submitted together with the diskette.
For authors who do not have access to a computer, papers written on electric or manual typewriters will also be accepted. In this case, the author(s) must submit the original and 5 (five) copies of the paper.
Hand-written papers will not be accepted.

ACCEPTANCE OF PAPERS
Papers will only be accepted when submitted in full and accompanied by payment of the author’s or at least one co-author’s registration fee for the 54th Congress.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PAPERS: April 30, 1999.
ADDRESS FOR SUBMISSION OF PAPERS
INTERLINK LTD / HOMEO 99
Rua Teixeira Leal, 107-A, Graça – 40.150-050
Salvador – Bahia – Brazil

Congress themes
The scientific program of the 54th Congress of the Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis will address:
The history of homeopathy in the Americas
Provings in the Americas
The Formation of the Homeopathic Physician (establishment of a minimum syllabus)
Interrelation of Homeopathy with Other Disciplines
Homeopathy in Public Health.
Homeopathy on the Elderly – Prevention and Treatment
Homeopathy and Pediatrics.
Clinical cases: acute, serious, hospitalization; homeopathy for the elderly.

On October 11, 1999, from 8 am to 6 pm we will hold Forums on Pharmacy, Public Health, Education and Research. On the other days Congress themes will be addressed such as courses, round tables, free themes and lectures.
Homeopathy in Brazil is a medical and pharmaceutical specialty, currently comprising 15,000 doctors, 1000 pharmacists, 200 dentists and 200 veterinary surgeons.

Other useful congress information
Tourist packages
Interlink Turismo, the conference’s official travel agency, will provide special packages (air travel and/or accommodations) for Congress participants. We will furnish detailed information as soon as possible.

Technical/trade fair
While the scientific programming is under way, we will also be holding a trade fair exhibiting products and services for this field. Anyone interested in renting a booth should contact Interlink, the company in charge of reservations and sales of booth space.

Official congress languages
The Congress' official languages are English and Portuguese. If a significant number of registered participants speak a different language, the Organizing Committee will provide the necessary translation services.

Congress web site
A web site, www.bahianet.com.br/homeo99 has been created for all our colleagues seeking information or wishing to make suggestions or criticisms. There, you will find details for registration and submission of papers, guidance for accommodation and tourist packages. If you do not find what you want, send us an e-mail and we will reply promptly.

Salvador of Bahia, the Land of Happiness
Bahia, the land of happiness, is a magical place discovered by the Portuguese in 1500. Bahia is considered Brazil’s motherland, not only because Brazil was discovered here, but because its peoples are a fusion of diverse cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds.
Salvador, founded in 1549, is the capital of the state of Bahia. It was the first European settlement and the first capital of the country, the administrative, political and economic center of Portuguese Colony, where all the most important colonial buildings were constructed. Since it was the capital of Brazil for over 200 years, it became the most important and prosperous city in the Southern hemisphere by the mid-eighteenth century. It was the seat of the Portuguese Crown in the New World, as well as a major slave-trading port and center of sugarcane production. Today these colonial churches, fortresses, palaces, and mansions preserve the heritage of our past centuries. There are more than three hundred churches in Bahia, among them the Church of "São Francisco" (Saint Francis), which is covered with gold leaves.
Nowadays, Salvador has approximately three million inhabitants and is an old and mystic city overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It is also a modern city with all the facilities of a great metropolis while conserving Latin America’s richest collection of colonial architecture.

The "Pelourinho" Baroque Buildings
Centuries-old, baroque-style buildings and churches (more than 300) form a background of rare beauty. The most outstanding example is Pelourinho, a recently restored complex of colonial architecture, declared an International Historical Monument by Unesco in 1985. Pelourinho is a colorful living picture of an ancient town with hundreds of buildings which have their preservation assured by the firmness of their structure. Some of those buildings have been recently repaired, while others are on the way to fully restoration; the State Government has invested nearly 30 million dollars in this project that follows the original designs of ancient houses.

On the old streets of Pelourinho lies the mystic Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos, built by the slaves in the 18th century, as well as museums, art galleries, restaurants, carnival associations, hotels, native handicraft shops and precious stones centers, among other activities related to tourism.

People and Folklore
Very few places in the word are as mystical as Salvador. Bahia is also known as the land of all the Saints or the Land of the Orixas, the gods brought from West Africa by Yoruba Slaves. The complementary relationship between this religion and the Brazilian Roman Catholicism is unique and gives rise to fascinating folk celebrations all year round. The folklore and the popular culture of Brazil were formed by the combination of three different influences: the European, through the Portuguese colonization; the African black culture, through the African slaves; and the Indian, who were the first inhabitants of Brazil.

Bale Folclorico da Bahia portrays some of the most important expressions of this folklore and some performances of candomble, the African religion brought to Brazil by the slaves, in which the music and dance are the main elements. Learn about the meaning of some shows:
Capoeira – African fight brought to Brazil by the slaves in the colonial period.
Maculelé – Dramatic dance, performed by the slaves in Brazilian colonial period, to celebrate the end of the sugar-cane harvest.

Bahian cuisine and beaches
Bahian cuisine is a delicious mixture of influences from three continents. The secret lies is in the spices: dendê, or palm oil, from Africa, the Portuguese olive oil, and native Brazilian herbs blended together to create the unique flavor of Bahian food. Seafood is the most popular dish: moqueca, acarajé and abará. These are a few names you should keep in mind and give it a try. The average price for the meal is around R$ 25,00. Less expansive options are available.

Salvador is surrounded by beaches of pure white sand fringed by palm trees. The people enjoy a unique lifestyle characterized by simplicity and joy.
Don’t forget to pack your swimsuit, shorts, t-shirt and a pair of tennis shoes.

Other useful information

• Climate
  The average temperature in Salvador during October and November is 30ºC /78ºF.
  
  
• Language
  Brazil is a Latin speaking country and Portuguese is the official language. However, most Brazilians understand Spanish. Hotel employees usually speak a number of languages. In any case, regardless of what language you speak, Brazilians will make an effort to understand you, using the universal language of friendliness.
  
  
• Political System
  Brazil is a democratic and representative republic.
  
  
• Currency
  Brazilian currency is REAL (R$). The exchange rate is approximately U$1,30 (subject to change). The US dollar is widely accepted and all banks and hotels will exchange this currency.
  
  
• Credit Cards
  Standard international cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops. The most common cards are VISA, MASTERCARD/DINERS and AMERICAN EXPRESS.
  
  
• Plane Tickets
  We have direct flights from the main cities in Europe and the United States. For other cities in Europe and the States, there are connecting flights at main Brazilian airports, i.e., Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Recife.
  
  
• Electricity
  The electric current in Salvador is 110 volts.
  
  
• Hotels
  We have hotels reserved for participants. From April onwards they will be available in our homepage. For further details please contact the congress office: Interlink, phone: +55-71-336-5644 , fax: +55-71-336-5633. E-mail: interlink@e-net.com.br.
  
  
• Passport and Visa
  Brazilian Authorities require a valid Passport and a Visa for visitors from most foreign countries. Please check with your Travel Agency for exact details.
  
  
• Telephone and Facsimile
  Services will be provided at the Congress Area. Brazilian code (55) Salvador code (71). Public telephones operate with special coins or telephone cards issued in Brazil.

How to Register
1. Fill out (a photocopy of) the Registration / Reply Form (see below)
2a. Send the completed form with the registration fee (cash or check) to:
2b. In case of credit card payment, fax the completed form to:

Interlink/Homeo 99
Rua Teixeira Leal, 107-A, Graça - 40.150-050,
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Tel: +55 71 336-5644 Fax: +55 71 336-5633
e-mail: interlink@e-net.com.br

The registration fee can be paid as follows:

• Brazilian participants
  Crossed check in Brazilian currency (Real, R$), made out to:
  54° Congresso da Liga Homeopática Internacional.
  The conversion rate used must correspond to the dollar exchange rate for tourism current on the date of payment.
  
  
• International participants
  US dollars (cash or check drawn on a US bank)
  Credit Cards: Visa, Master card and Diner’s card