Consequences of the Warsaw Meeting – July 15, 2006

The prospect of establishing more formal ties between the ESTSS and colleagues in Eastern European countries was proposed by Norbert Gurris and discussed at ESTSS Board meetings. This coincided with discussions regarding the desirability of the establishment of national societies with links to the ESTSS (see President’s message). As there has been no Polish national Society for Traumatic Stress until now, the ESTSS board agreed with the proposal to establish and consolidate personal and reliable contacts with colleagues in Poland via in-person visits to Poland. During the winter of 2005/2006 email correspondence occurred between Norbert Gurris and Polish colleagues and a meeting geared towards sounding out common interests was suggested. It soon became apparent that Prof. Dr. Maja Lis-Turlejska, member of the ESTSS for many years, and in a central and integrative position in Poland, would come to play a pivotal role in establishing partnerships and cooperation. Owing in particular to her efforts, the idea of working together with the ESTSS could be propagated throughout Poland and Warsaw came to be chosen as the venue for the first meeting. Keen interest and a number of encouraging suggestions and responses were also registered in Wroclaw, Krakow and Lodz.