Washington Reception
The Federation’s thirteenth Annual Benefit Reception in Washington, D.C., was held on 18 May 1999 at the residence of the Ambassador of Chile and Mrs. Genaro Arriagada. Former US First Lady Rosalynn Carter was the Honorary Chair of the event, which was underwritten by the Gannett Company. Ambassador and Mrs. Arriagada provided a very warm welcome to WFMH members and mental health leaders from the Washington area, and expressed their hopes for a successful World Congress in Santiago later in the year. They were active hosts, circulating among the guests to meet as many of them as possible, and offering detailed travel advice for those planning to go to Santiago. Their enthusiastic interest was a fine introduction to Chilean hospitality.
The reception was attended by a number of WFMH Board members in town for a Board meeting later in the week, including President Marten deVries (Netherlands), President Elect Ahmed El Azayem (Egypt), Former President Beverly Long (USA), and also Patt Franciosi (USA), Janet Maegher (Australia) and Shona Sturgeon (South Africa). WFMH Public Service Awards
The Federation presented two Distinguished Public Service Awards during the reception to Drs. Itzhak Levav and Sheppard Kellam. Both of the honorees have worked closely with the Federation over many years.
The citation on Dr. Levav’s Award read “for his service to the people of the Americas and the Carribean,” in recognition of his twelve years as Regional Advisor in Mental Health to the Pan American Health Organization of WHO. Sir George Alleyne, the Director of PAHO, sent regrets that he could not be present to say a few words about Dr. Levav, “whom I hold in very high esteem.” Secretary General Brody presented the Award for efforts that “catalized improvements in mental health services throughout the hemisphere,” noting in particular the conference leading to the Declaration of Caracas, and personal interventions to promote more community-based services, more protection for human rights, and more sensitivity to the mental health of the community at large.
The Award to Professor Sheppard Kellam was presented by Beverly Long “for outstanding leadership and individual achievement in advancing the science for prevention of mental and behavioral disorders.” Mrs. Long praised his commitment to prevention research, and mentioned his work over many years in tracking school-based interventions that can improve outcomes for children. Professor Kellam heads a WFMH Collaborating Center, the Prevention Center at The Johns Hopkins University. He is also currently the President of the Society for Prevention Research.