The Second Eastern European Congress of Psychiatry was held in Moscow on 27-30 October 2009. This event of the Psychiatric Association for Eastern Europe and the Balkans in conjunction with the annual Russian Conference of Psychiatry gathered over 1000 participants from Russia and about 200 foreign participants. The biggest delegations coming from Greece and Serbia, besides, there were representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Dutch, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Montenegro, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Swiss, United Kingdom, USA, as well as from the Zone 10 – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Ukraine.

Professor George Christodoulou,
being awarded the title
of Honorary Member of
the Russian Society of Psychiatrists.

At the Opening ceremony, Prof. Norman Sartorius, Prof. Juan Mezzich и Prof. George Christodoulou were declared the honorary members of Russian Society of Psychiatrists for their achievements in science and for their contribution to the relations with the Russian colleagues. Prof. Dusica Lecic Tosevsky was awarded a silver charms in the form of Greek letter “psi” as a personal present from the Russian popular Journal “Psychology” for being the most productive and active author, as well as for organizing international cooperation and for promoting the interaction among the representatives of various medical professions.

Apart from sections in Russian, the programme of the Congress included a plenary session «Collaborating for mental health», 14 thematic symposia, 2 panel discussions on the person-centered psychiatry and classification of mental disorders. The talks had the advantage of combining high professionalism and respect for the point of others with a diversity of views and assessments.

The discussion during scientific sessions was focused on ethic and legal standards in mental care, team approaches, prospects of psychiatry for the person, organizing problems in the conditions of transition period. The lecture of Prof. Ernst Pöppel (Germany), one of the leading European specialists of neurorehabilitation and neuropsychology, was of a great interest.

Moreover, the Congress comprised solemn activities of the Independent Psychiatric Association of Russia marking the 20th anniversary of its foundation. Two sessions with the assistance of foreign guests were devoted to the questions of necessity of reforms in the institute of legal incapability and improving of psyhosocial functioning of mentally ills.

Participants to the 2^nd Eastern Europe
Psychiatric Congress, Moscow,
27-30 October 2009, Panel Discussion
“Team Approach and psychiatry for the person”.

Psychiatric Association for Eastern Europe and the Balkans focuses on the organization of continuous education for young specialists in psychiatry and psychotherapy, which certainly contributes to the quality of care given to people with mental disorders and psychological problems. In this respect, events organized for young specialists deserve special attention. Those are Symposium “Psychiatric training in Eastern Europe and Balkans: finding common” successfully under the chair of young representatives from Serbia, Greece and Russia, which aroused a lively discussion, and the seminar under the head of Prof. N. Sartorius for Russian trainees, which awoke the greatest interest among the audience and received a most favourable review.

On the last day of the Congress, foreign guests visited Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry (Director – Prof. Valery Krasnov) where they got acquainted with the history of the Institute, the organization of medical and educational activity, the specialization of the main clinical departments. The visitors were impressed by the conditions of medical care, the level of qualification and the hospitality of their Russian colleagues.

The Secretary of Organizing Committee,
Dr Maya Kulygina