I heart ISFiT

"Hva er sukkertøy uten det søte? Hva er ISFiT uten møte?"

- Martin, President ISFiT 2007

I am completely drunk on life and ISFiT right now! I feel like I'm floating! No, seriously, I skipped and danced all the way home, absolutely no kidding. And do you want to know why? ISFiT released its entire cultural programme tonight, and it is AMAZING! I am absolutely blown away by what a bunch of mere students have managed to achieve, and I am so very very proud to be a part of this. My ISFiT-nerd glasses are completely on, and I couldn't be happier!

Now, as everyone else, I am mostly concerned with what concerns me, and when it comes to ISFiT that is Plenary Sessions. It is what I have been working with all autumn, and I am so happy I can finally share with the entire world the fruits of our labour. So here goes, the Plenary Sessions programme of ISFiT 2011!

Globalize this: Health

What is the state of the world’s health today? How can we improve the global health situation? 

• Hans Rosling
• Professor Sir Michael Marmot

Mornings in Jenin—A Meeting With Susan Abulhawa

Can there be friendship when you find yourself on opposing sides of a war? Can there be love when people are dying around you? Can you survive when you lose everyone and everything you have ever known?

• Susan Abdulhawa

Lives at Risk - Maternal Health in a Paternal System

Every minute one woman dies during birth or pregnancy. How can the world let so many women die? Are the lives of these women not as valuable as others?

• Jonas Gahr Støre
• Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran
• Professor Staffan Bergstrøm

Industrial Epidemics

Every six seconds a child dies of hunger. One billion people in the world are overweight. Smoking kills over five million every year. What is the difference between natural epidemics, and epidemics caused by several of the biggest industries in the world?

• Dr Ahmed Ogwell
• Ellen Gustafson
• Jon F. Banzhaf III

Health and education: how gender plays a role

Education is an important factor in order to bring people out of poverty and to bring them better health. In the world today, over 69 million children lack the opportunity to go to school.

• Sima Samar

Going Mental 

How can we prevent and help people who are suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts? Is depression and suicidal ideation still stigmatized health problems?

• Lakshmi Vijayakumar
• Anne Grethe Klunderud

The Global HIV/AIDS Pandemic

How does HIV/AIDS affect households, civil society, and national development and health programmes? How should local and international governments respond to the pandemic? And what is the solution to AIDS care and treatment?

• Dr. James McIntyre
• Professor Philippe Douste-Blazy
• Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway

eHealth

4 of 10 mothers in India believed that they should withhold fluids if their baby develops diarrhoea. Worldwide, 1.8 million children die every year from dehydration due to diarrhoea. How critical is the lack of basic healthcare information on the global health situation? And most importantly, what can we do?

• Neil Pakenham-Walsh

Climate and Global Health

Climate and weather have always had a powerful impact on human health and well-being. But like other large natural systems, the global climate system is coming under pressure from human activities. Global climate change is, therefore, a newer challenge to ongoing efforts to protect human health.

• Dr Aaron Bernstein

Now isn't that the most wonderful thing you have all ever seen? Huh? Huh? Well, maybe not, but if you were working within any of these fields, these people would be your heroes. Seriously, these guys are awesome. Hans Rosling even swallows swords. Tru fax. Watch him on TED!

http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_reveals_new_insights_on_poverty.html

As for the rest of the cultural programme, it's wonderful too. There will be a circus, concerts, Kråkesølv is coming, Kristopher Schau, Trond Viggo Torgersen, Aron Kader, our esteemed Crown Prince, the Student Peace Price winner will have his ceremony, Susanne Sundfør is singing in the cathedral, there is so much going on I can't even remember all of it! But it will all be up on the ISFiT home page within the day, so please go check it out! There is awesomeness abound, promise!

http://www.isfit.org/program/events

Gahhh, ISFiT, you amazing festival! But I should go to sleep now, because I have an early lesson tomorrow, though I suspect I won't be able to sleep a wink. Too much going on within my poor little head! Oh well, so worth it. Have a picture!

Everyone waiting in Storsalen for the big release!