EMR11 Survival Kit

Survival Kit

IFMSA Imprint Regional Coordinator Zahra Zeinali - Iran Regional Team Abdulrahman Nofal - Jordan Karim Abd El-Motaleb - Egypt Hani Hafez - Lebanon Rewan Youssif - Egypt Omar Hafez - Lebanon Yamen Jaber - Egypt Karim Abdeltawab - Egypt Haitham El-Khatib - Jordan Publications Support Division Firas Yassine - Lebanon Mikolaj Maga - Poland

The International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization representing associations of medical students worlwide. IFMSA was founded in 1951 and currently maintains 123 National Member Organizations from more than 100 countries across six continents. With over 1.3 million members, IFMSA is recognized as a nongovernmental organization within the United Nations’ system and the World Health Organization. It is also the student chapter of the World Medical Association.

For more than 60 years, IFMSA has existed to bring together the global medical students community at the local, national, and international levels on social and health issues.

Publisher International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA)

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Contents

RC Welcome Message Message from the OC About EMR11 Meet the EMR Team Presidents’ Sessions SCOME Sessions SCOPE/SCORE Sessions

www.ifmsa.org

SCOPH Sessions SCORA Sessions SCORP Sessions Projects Trainings Meet the OC About Egypt

RC Welcome Message Dear EMR Family, It is with tremendous joy that I welcome you to our Regional Meeting, EMR11.

For the past four months, the EMR team and I, and for the past year, the Organizing Committee have been doing our absolute best to welcome you to Egypt for the annual gathering of the EMRians.

For the past eleven years, every year around this time, we gather for a few days to share experiences and inspirations with our friends. Expanding our horizons, getting to know new friends and reuniting with old ones. This is the most important event of our region, giving us a chance to tackle the global health topics most related to our region.

In EMR regional meetings you get the chance to present your amazing activities, join heated theme event discussions, take part in cultural activities through the social programs, and get to know the faces running this federation.

The EMR team have prepared amazing sessions for you, all according to what our wonderful region needs. Make sure to take an active part in your session, and bring home all that has been shared with you. After EMR11 you’ll know why this team is called SuperHeroes!

The IFMSA Team of Officials has a bold presence in this year’s meeting which means that you would get a chance to meet them in a more intimate setting, with less participants, and discuss your ideas and ambitions, expectations or simply ask questions.

The theme event, Universal Health Coverage, is

tackling one of the most important health topics of these days. According to the WHO EMRO Regional Committee of 2014, most of the countries of our region are implementing or planning to implement UHC in one way or another. The one of a kind external speakers invited to the theme event sessions will make sure you leave the meeting with sufficient info to take an active role as a medical student regarding UHC in your community.

I’d like to thank anyone who contributed to the EMR11 in one way or another. I can’t wait to meet you all! Get ready for the most exciting week of 2015!

With best regards,

Zahra Zeinali, Regional Coordinator for the EMR 2014-15.

A Message from the OC Dear EMR Delegates, On behalf of the EMR11 Organising Committee, I present to you the final update of our much anticipated social program.

For those of you attending the Pre-EMR; on the first night you will be going through the opening ceremony with the theme of 70th party, so try to put on accessories or outfits that shows how people were dressed at your own country by this time.

On the second night, you shall visit one of the most attractive places of old Cairo: Khan el Khalili, which is an area in the old part of Cairo considered a huge bazar with ancient narrow alleys, a whole bunch of souvenirs, and delicious cafes and restaurants. So don’t fill up during dinner, you might want to try some traditional Khan food ;).

On the third day, we prepared two simple programs, yet extremely fun, the infamous karaoke night and an unusual treasure hunt through the venue, so get ready to team up and shake the place.

On the First day of the EMR , make sure you dress formally for the opening ceremony, following then we designed a nice relaxing introduction game for the delegates to get acquainted and strengthen the relationships between them, a very fun way to get to know everybody and not hectic or tiring after the first day of arrival.

On the second day, you will be taken on a breathtaking tour in the Nile on a feluka, the traditional Egyptian Nile boat to enjoy the city that never sleeps from a quiet relaxing place.

If you’re still not impressed yet-which we highly doubt by now- on the third day comes the majestic Pyramids and Sphinx Tour. Get ready to see one of the world’s wonders and testimony to ancient Egypt’s greatness so close you can literally touch them :D. In the Evening follows the traditional Oriental night and NFDP-Party, so prepare yourself and your delicacies to impress the other delegates ;). IN the Oriental night you will enjoy a variety of true Egyptian art, ranging from Om kalthoum to the belly dancer.

Finally for the last night, the closing ceremony to sum up the great experience we all enjoyed throughout the previous few days, the dressing code shall be smart casual for the closing ceremony.

A Side note: If you are interested in performing a show, please notify the social committee with your choice before 28th January 2015, 23:59 GMT. Contact us at:social@emr11egypt.com To wrap up, we prepared a fun-filled knowledgeable social program for our dearest delegates and we hope you like it and enjoy our preparations and go home with better memories and experiences than you expected.

Thank you and welcome to your second home,

Amir Hamdy, Head of the EMR11 Organising Committee

About EMR 11 Once a year, delegates from the IFMSA Eastern Mediterranean Region get together for the EMR Meeting, which brings together about 200300 medical students from all around the region. During the 7 days of the meeting, delegates discuss matters of the federation and make valuable contacts for their organizations.

The actual program of the meeting has developed into a mixture of trainings, planning and evaluation sessions together with the main theme event sessions and workshops. The work in the Standing Committees of IFMSA is the essence for most delegates: signing contracts; presenting and planning projects and activities; and sharing experiences are all included in work days for the National Officers and members from the participating NMOs. An extensive Training and Resource Development component has been integrated in the program, providing the participants with new skills needed in their work, but seldom found in the regular university curriculum: Advocacy Skills, Group Dynamics and Strategic Planning to name a few.

With IFMSA being much more than just exchanges, the Activities Fair has evolved to extend presentations of local, national and international projects outside the Standing Committees.

Round Table Discussions enable the student delegates to discuss currently relevant topics with invited experts and short lectures are frequently given by representatives from, for example, different UN agencies.

Guidelines on which areas EMR should focus on

and other important topics for the future of the region are discussed intensively to make sure to reach a proper outcome for the welfare of medical students in the region.

Dates of EMR11: Pre-EMR : 3rd of February to 6th of February 2015.

EMR: 6th of February to 10th of February 2015.

Post-EMR: social trips are going to start from the 10th of February to 14th of February 2015.

Theme of EMR11: Universal Health Coverage.

Universal health coverage (UHC) is defined as ensuring that all people can use the primitive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship.

Meet the EMR Team

Zahra, Regional Coordinator

Abdulrahman, SCOME RA

Karim, SCOPE RA

Hani, SCOPH RA

Rewan, SCORA RA

Omar, SCORE RA

Yamen, SCORP RA

Haitham, Trainings SD RA

Karim, Projects SD RA

Presidents’ Sessions Dear EMR NMO Presidents and representatives, I’d like to welcome you to the EMR11 Presidents Sessions. For this EMR meeting, we decided to try something new: Combining the NMO management and presidents sessions, and only separating them at the trainings which are divided for advanced/newbie members. By this, we hope to increase the satisfaction of NMO management session participants as well as create a hands on capacity building opportunity for all participants of presidents sessions or NMO management sessions, by involving them directly in the topics that concern the presidents and EBs most; but can only be tackled efficiently if all members are actively involved in the discussion.

This EMR meeting, in the presidents sessions, we will be extensively discussing the hottest topic of the federation, IFMSA Transition and Reform, alongside many IFMSA TO and EB members. This will ensure all NMOs are 100% ready for the March Meeting. We will also discuss the EMR Code and amendments to it, the EMR12 host applications.

You will experience capacity building at its best with trainings delivered to you by experts on external representation, advocacy, finances, etc…

Get ready for lots of fun, lots of decision making, lots of capacity building and endless discussions (Check the accompanying Agenda).

Zahra Zeinali, RC-EMR 2014-15

SCOME Sessions Dear EMR SCOMEdians, Once again we are set to gather for our annual meeting of bright young minds of future health professionals which are set to meet in the lovely city of Cairo “Om el Donya” where we are set to celebrate once again our amazing region, meet our old wonderful friends from all over the region and enjoy the unbelievable chance to get to know a huge amount of smart, educated and international young students from all over the region and even the world.

We also get the chance to have much closer and deeper friendships with our fellow SCOMEdians who we will share most of our days with. We get the chance to learn from each other and develop ourselves from the skills and the experiences that we gather and while a 5 day meeting might not seem like a lot to you especially if this is your first EMR I only ask that you wait and see how this will be a life changing experience for you.

Our SCOME sessions will try to tackle the common problems of education that we face in our region, we will also try to focus on the personal development and the improvement of the skills of the participants as well as try to tackle some issues that SCOME will be working on internationally in order to involve our members and our region with the work of the organization and to help maintain an IFMSA that is truly representative of medical students from around the world With that in mind I will ask you all to seize this opportunity, I want you to be excited and I want you to be prepared, I urge you to come to the EMR hungry for learning, for experiences and for friendships and I want you to seek to develop

as SCOME member, a medical student and as a member of your society.

In the next few pages you will find a few details about the Standing Committee, the agenda, the EMR…etc which will help you be prepare for this meeting and will hopefully get you excited about attending this wonderful meeting in the wonderful country of Egypt.

Abdulrahman Nofal, SCOME Regional Assistant for the EMR *** Medical Education should be a concern of every medical student as M.E includes both curricular activities and extracurricular activities; hence, it shapes not only the quality of future doctors, but also the quality of healthcare.

As medical students are directly exposed to medical curricula, they are the first quality check of medical education and they should rightfully have an influence on the creation of new curricula and curriculum development. It is often the medical students who are the strongest proponents for adapting their education to the needs of their community. We are concerned with facing the needs of healthcare in a modern society and are willing to commit to make sure our education prepares us for them. Here SCOME enters the game.

The purpose of the SCOME is to gather students from all over the world who would be interested in playing an active role in their medical education; how to analyze it and then advocate adapting it to the present and future needs as future doctors.

As medical students are direct SCOME offers an international platform for medical students to come together, to be empowered and receive capacity

SCOME Sessions building trainings to enhance their impact on the local level through projects and advocacy, and on the other hand forms a tool that represents the voices of medical students worldwide through international organizations such as the World Health Organization, World Medical Association, World Health Organization, World Federation for Medical Education and many others.

Throughout the year, our members come together in two General Assemblies (March and August) and in five Regional Meetings, can participate in online meetings or in Small Working Groups on specific topics, and are constantly updated by the International Team on activities that are going on globally. In this annual report you will find the highlights of the activities from this term. *** For those of you attending the SCOME Sessions, please check the accompanying Agenda.

SCOPE/SCORE Sessions of learning, make new friendships, revive old ones and enjoy the social program. Don’t forget to have an incredible EMR experience!

Looking forward to meet you all, Karim and Omar Hello EMR Exchangers!

We are the Karim & Omar, the SCOPE/SCORE Regional Assistants for the term 2014-2015. We are very excited to welcome you with undeniable pleasure to this year’s SCORE/SCOPE sessions at EMR 11 in Egypt.

As RAs from the EMR handling the work of SCOPE and SCORE, we share the same vision and aspiring goals towards developing the exchange programs in our region and encourage our medical students onto living the amazing exchange experience. This leads us towards a collaborative work to empower the Exchange Status of EMR within IFMSA. We have always believed that what we do as medical students in SCORE/SCOPE Team in promoting the Exchange is the chief key in making us great Exchange Officers and globally aware physicians. It is up to us to ensure that Our Community can irrevocably profit from all the countless benefits of the Exchange. EMR11 will be a platform to hold fruitful discussions, brainstorm about ways of improvement and exchange the expertise we have among us . Moreover, we would like to explore solutions regarding the current challenges and tackle the common issues we’re facing. And hopefully, each one of you will return home strengthened with new skills, increased knowledge and exceptional abilities when it comes to the Exchange world within IFMSA. We hope that you grasp that unique opportunity

*** SCOPE The chief goal of our program is “to promote cultural understanding and co-operation amongst medical students and all the health professionals, through the facilitation of international student exchanges. SCOPE intends to give all students the golden opportunity to be globally aware of all health issues, and attains this partly by having its exchanges accredited by medical facilities across the world.”

SCORE The mission of SCORE is to offer future physicians an opportunity to experience research work and the diversity of countries all over the world.

This is achieved by providing a network of locally and internationally active students that globally facilitate access to research exchange projects.

Through our programming and opportunities, we aim to “develop both culturally sensitive students and skilled researchers intent on shaping the world of science in the upcoming future.”

For those of you attending the SCOPE/SCORE Sessions, make sure to check the accompanying agenda:

SCOPE Sessions

Note : Make sure to bring whatever you need to make your booth shine and promote your NMO well during the Exchange Fair Simulation and get ready for the most awesome sessions!

SCOPH Sessions Hello EMR SCOPHeroes!

My name is Hani Hafez and I am the SCOPH Regional Assistant for the term 2014/15. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to this year’s SCOPH sessions at

For those of you attending the SCOPH Sessions, make sure to check the accompanying Agenda and the notes below:

the 11th Eastern Mediterranean Regional Meeting.

Being from the same region, we find ourselves facing the same public health issues, same environmental factors, similar challenges to overcome these problems and that invites us for a collaborative work to empower our public health status in the region.

In my mind, I have always believed that what we do as medical students in SCOPH team in promoting public health upgrade is nothing but the key to make us great public health officers as physicians, and it’s up to us to do ensure that our community can enjoy better health service, or at least long for it.

I can only hope that throughout these sessions, the discussions and sharing experiences and perspectives, we will go back home empowered with a new ability, skill, or knowledge to serve public health.

I hope that you also make a lot of new friends and rekindle old friendships. Enjoy the social program, learn and have a great EMR experience! I look forward to meeting you all :) Hani Hafez SCOPH Regional Assistant for EMR 2014-15 ***

To make sure the Session goes as smooth as possible, and to ease the discussions and debates tackled during the sessions, there are some things that you should try to research: 1- Find out how does your country’s Health System operate; Pros and Cons; 2- What is the difference between Public Health, Global Health, and International Health?

3- What is Universal Health Coverage and is it taking process in your Country?

P.S.: It’s NOT a Homework don’t start cancelling your registration :P :D

SCORA Sessions Dear EMR SCORAngels, For those of you who don’t know me yet, I am Rewan Youssif, IFMSA SCORA Regional Assistant for the EMR. I am from Alexandria, Egypt and I am in my fifth year in Medical School. I am so excited for the EMR and I believe you are as well.

This term, I promise you an unforgettable experience in SCORA Sessions. I want you to bring all the positive and happy feelings along with your SCORAlicious Spirit. SCORA Sessions are where we will discuss the different Reproductive Health issues. This is where we will discuss everything openly without any judgment, stigma or discrimination. I personally can’t wait to meet all of you!

Till we meet in February, HUGS! So MUCH LOVE! Rewan Youssif, SCORA Regional Assistant for the EMR 2014-15 *** About SCORA: The Standing Committee On Sexual and Reproductive Health including AIDS (SCORA) will bring together medical students to learn, build skills, cooperate, explore and share ideas when it comes to addressing issues related to reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. Posters and Promotional Materials for the Project Fair: Every NMO is invited to put up a poster with SCORA activities you would like to present for the Project Fair – poster does not have to be “high tech” – most of the posters describe the activities with few words and might have nice photos (just don’t forget to state the country, contact person and e-mail for all those who are interested in your

projects). Also you can bring along some leaflets or other materials you use in your SCORA projects – usually those are fun & inspiring to collect from all over the world.

Energizers: Bring your favourite energizer with you! And be prepared to energize all of SCORA. Clothing: Don’t forget to bring with you something red you look dashing in for our color party!

SCORAngels have to wear SCORAlicious RED. In general, SCORA sessions will be very energetic and it would be good if you wear comfortable clothes and foot- wear during session time. Outside of SCORA Sessions it is also positive to bring warm clothes, traditional clothes of your NMO, formal clothes, going out-outfit and if you want swim wear.

For those of you attending the SCORA Sessions, make sure to check the accompanying Agenda:

SCORP Sessions Dear EMR SCORPions, With EMR11 just around the corner, I’m anxiously counting down the days to see and welcome you all to our beloved regional meeting’s SCORP sessions.

Medical students in our region, with their increasing level of potential to fully develop in the field of Human Rights and Peace, have learnt to become better advocates within their communities, as well as effectively raise the level of awareness towards numerous distressing Human Rights’ issues and violations, and in our region, it won’t be any different.

And what will you expect to see during our sessions?

Many preparations have been tailored to suit your needs and requirements to present a diverse range of topics covering our region’s biggest issues, including migrant health, healthcare violations, and women’s rights, in addition to externals’ sessions, Small Working Groups (SWGs) and projects’ presentations; a lot of detail and attention have went into ensuring their best possible quality to create a memorable experience for you; it will be one to go in the history books!

I’m truly excited to meet and get to know you all in the sessions, and until then, please don’t hesitate to reach me anytime at: ra.scorp.emr@gmail.com.

Let’s show everyone why we’ll rock our sessions!

Green hugs, Yamen Amer Jabr, SCORP Regional Assistant for the EMR 2014-15 ***

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead.

The Standing Committee on human Rights and Peace (SCORP) is one of the six Standing Committees of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations. It was founded in the year of 1983, as the global plight of refugees came into the limelight.

At that time, it was named Standing Committee on Refugees (SCOR). SCOR’s mission was to call attention to the problems displaced people faced as well as to participate in relief efforts. However, members of this committee would soon realize that these efforts would be short term and only palliative.

Sustainable solutions would have to rest on the prevention of conflicts and human rights abuses.

Based on these new resolutions, the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace (SCORP) was forged in 1994.

Refugees, internally displaced people and other vulnerable populations are of a highest risk of losing health and of having their human rights abused.

SCORP deals with the problems and needs of refugees and internally displaced people. As a group, we also work for the prevention of conflicts, the main reason why people are forced to become refugees. We condemn any use of violence as a conflict solution. Simply, we work for a peaceful world.

SCORP understands peace as, person to person, group to group, state to state, having international solidarity, tolerance and respect for human rights.

In the past, SCORP and IFMSA have arranged a number of successful workshops (including TNHRTs and the annual SCORP Camp) and have also

SCORP Sessions developed a number of international projects that give medical students the opportunity to work alongside nongovernmental organizations towards the improvement of specific situations.

For those of you attending the SCORP Sessions, make sure to check the accompanying Agenda:

Projects During our involvement in IFMSA field work, many of us might have had someone ask us, “Why do you spend so much effort participating in such projects?

You are a medical student, where do you get all the time to do this public health service and work?”

Projects, help us answer such questions. They give us a “Clarity of the WHY!” Why do we do what we do? Every time we have worked hard in a project and made an impact in our community, that answers why.

When we realise that all our work has paid off, it gives us the drive and motivation to do what we do and work harder next time. This is why I genuinely believe “Projects” are the heart of IFMSA. The EMR has evolved tremendously in the past years. Today, each NMO takes pride in at least one project dealing with relevant national health issues. Projects within the EMR are moving to make a difference within the region and we surely have no plans of slowing down.

Karim M. Abdeltawab, Projects SD Regional Assistant for the EMR 2014-15 *** Projects, Programs, Activities? What is it all about?

During our last IFMSA General Assembly, August Meeting in Taiwan 2014, IFMSA as a federation has undergone drastic changes in its structure and the way we work in order to improve its fundamental functions, creativity and impact. Understanding that we cannot evaluate the impact of our projects without knowing where we, as a Federation, want to go, it was essential to device an approach that encompasses all the activities done by IFMSA members as well as being sustainable.

Hence the transition from a projects based system to a programs based system.

To understand the change, it is essential that we know the difference: A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result. The temporary nature of project indicates that a project has a definite beginning and end. The end is reached when the project’s objectives have been achieved or when the project is terminated.

A program is a portfolio comprised of multiple projects that are managed and coordinated as one unit with the objective of achieving (often intangible) outcomes and benefits for the organization.

With the new Programs we turn the current vague and complex projects structure into a simplified and outcomeoriented structure for activities. It will provide a flexible framework for NMO’s activities, whether they are oneday events or long-term projects. Although the previous framework for projects and events was believed to have a potential to facilitate collaboration between our NMOs, a number of shortcomings hinder the realization of this potential. The burden of bureaucracy, difficulties in assessing impact and providing institutional support from the Projects Division are a significant hindrance currently, whereas the new framework allows and empowers volunteer medical students to excel and innovate, to become agents of positive change in their communities and for IFMSA to monitor and evaluate its impact. The Programs framework has simple and relevant reporting mechanisms, and a simple enrollment process. Among several benefits, the current programs based structure aims to ease the process of obtaining financial support from international and regional institutions through their participation in these Programs, thus taking the Federation to a whole new level as a service provider to our members.

Want to know more about IFMSA Programs? Stay tuned for more details during EMR11.

You can also participate in the Projects Support Division events, Activities Fair and Activities Presentations.

February 9 @ 17:00 Activities Fair is an IFMSA well known event where you can bring posters, leaflets, brochures, stickers and any other kind of promotional material about

Projects your activity to show to our dear region. You’ll have the chance to tell other motivated EMRians about your work as well as to get feedback, improvement suggestions and new collaboration opportunities.

This is your OPPORTUNITY to get the whole EMR Region to know about your project!

February 7 @ 17:00 Activities Presentations is a session where a restricted number of activities will have the chance to have a short presentation of their project. Explaining the impact their project/ activity had as well as portray the whole experience of executing their project.

Both events give you and your NMO the chance to not only display your work to all EMRians but also the winners will have their projects/activities promoted across all IFMSA. Moreover, Activities fair and presentation are precious opportunities to learn from the experience of other NMOs, create partnerships and gather contacts.

Let us work hand in hand to make the EMR Region Shine.

Looking forward to see you all!

Trainings Dear EMRians, The Training Support Division is working worldwide to strengthen the members of IFMSA by giving top notch trainings and capacity building activities.

In this EMR, the TSD has put extra efforts to tailor the given trainings at the EMR to the specific needs of our beloved region. Capacity building has always been our aim, and strengthening the EMR’s backbone is our goal.

The two day training sessions will cover subjects that have been hand picked after analyzing your own answers to what trainings you need. So if you are a fresh IFMSA member or an experienced one, you will find a training that suits you!

On the plus side, the new trainers from the Pre-EMR TNT will have designated “old” coaching trainers from all around the world to help them deliver unforgettable trainings to you. The experience will be maximized, the fun overdosed, and the friendships everlasting.

So prepare yourselves for a new training experience that has been said to be “out of this world!”

Haitham Al-Khatib, Trainings SD Regional Assistant for the EMR 2014-15 *** Topics of Training Sessions in EMR11: 1. Advocacy and Lobbying 1 and 2: It is about time we give this amazing training to our EMR members. It is about time we give this amazing training to our EMR members. Advocacy and lobbying are skills you need to have a better impact in the external meetings you attend or even the IFMSA general assemblies. Advocacy and

lobbying are used when you want to promote a cause and influence decisions about it. For example this is how it works for major health decisions in the WHO. 2. Intercultural Learning: Konnichiwa! Hola!

Mar7aba….. The whole world will be in your hands after this training. In this training you will learn how to work in a multicultural and diverse setting (e.g. IFMSA) and actually utilise this diversity instead of letting it draw bridges.

3. Marketing and Public Relations: You need this for your NMO, your LC and most importantly, for yourself.

No matter how good you work, if you can’t present it well as an organization, it will go unnoticed. You can utilise what you learn in this workshop for your activities and your organisation.

4. Communication and Presentation Skills: It is all about listening and talking the right way, that is what we offer in this eye-opening training. Your fear before seminars will be history too! With the right communication skills you can maximise your impact and make sure your messages get through to people.

5. Electronic Communication: Technology is moving fast and so must we! Electronic Communication is evolving so fast, so catch up to it with us! In this training you will be introduced to the most common electronic platforms used in the IFMSA, and how to maximise your online work productivity.

6. Fundraising: Money money money… in a rich man’s world! We will help you to secure more of that for your voluntary projects! You will learn the skills needed to convince external partners why your activity is worth their money and why they should support you financially.

7. Creative Thinking and Brainstorming: Widen your horizons and pick that brain of yours with us… The sky’s the limit! You will learn much needed skills for your work in your NMO, how to make a project stand out by

Trainings brainstorming for creative ideas.

8. Leadership: Even if you were born a leader, you still need this training to master it! You will learn the necessary skills needed to run a project or activity or your LC or your NMO. With leadership skills, you can always influence people in the best way, in work, or daily life.

9. Avoiding Burnout and Stress: Between work, studying and trying to have a social life, we all pass through moments of stress nearing explosion point…. Join us to raise your boiling point and relax more in your life.

10. Empowerment and Motivation: Join us and feel the power within you and spread the message to the people around you.

11. Project Management: Learn all about projects and programs and the best ways to approach, run and conclude them.

12. Teambuilding: You will learn the truth about the saying: There is no I in team! Working in IFMSA, we’re all working in interconnected teams. With this training you will learn how to solve conflicts in the team, how to lead it, how to be a good team player, and how to make use of every member’s best attributes.

13. Time Management: Medical students have the most hectic lives; so who wouldn’t want some time organisation to keep up with your favorite TV series and have some time to study for a change! With this training you will learn the necessary skills to make the most use of your time and maximise your productivity. ***

Meet the OC Hosting an EMR Meeting is an honor, but also a great trial for the Organising Committee. The entire process is run by voluntary students, from the fundraising to the implementation, and shows that the power of IFMSA indeed lies at the local level, that’s why the OC is working 24/7 to insure a high quality and memorable meeting.

Amir Hamdy, Head of OC

Mohamed Meshref, Publication

Omneya Mostafa, Evaluation

Amr Diaa, Vice Head of OC

Ahmed Jamal, Media and Marketing

Rami Abdalla, Treasurer

Sary Elsayed & Mohamed Mousa, Registration

Islam Abo Ismail, AbdelRahman El-Bakry, Ahmed Khaled & Nourane Aref, Extended OC

Karim El-Sayed, Pre-EMR Coordinator Basem & Baher Hegazy, Theme Event Coordinators Eslam Fouda & Mohamed Abdelwahed, Logistics Coordinators Mohamed Ismael, Visa Coordinator

Ahmed El-Beshbishy, Boarding Haitham Omar, Transportation

Omnia Ibrahim & Eman Soliman, Fundraising

Ahmed Rateb, Social Program Norhan Negm, Opening Ceremony

About Egypt Cairo is a vibrant, exhilarating, exotic, fascinating and welcoming city. Home to the best Pharaonic, Coptic and Islamic sites in Egypt, this city is where you never know what incredible, half-forgotten monument you might stumble across while wandering around. Enjoy the Nile view from your hotel room balcony, visit the capital’s medieval markets by Khan El-Khalili, or walk down the Nile promenade. There are also plenty of cinemas, theatres and modern malls. Go for an opera or enjoy oriental music dance shows. Good for short breaks and long stays; you’ll get to see the Giza Pyramids, thousands of ancient artifacts in the

Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and much more.

The weather in Cairo is moderate and low in humidity at almost any time of the year, except for some specific times in summer. The winter months in Cairo, especially January, are much more pleasant with temperatures ranging between 21°C and 15°C. Local time is GMT(+2).

The currency in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound (EGP), which is divided into 100 piasters. There are two forms of currency either papers or coins.

About Egypt Paper: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 Coins: 50 piasters & 1 pound The average exchange rate is as follows: 1 US Dollar = 7.15 Egyptian Pound 1 Euro = 8.88 Egyptian Pound In Egypt, most of the banks are open from Sunday to Thursday; working hours being 08:30 to 14:00, though banks at the airports and the major entry ports are open 24 hours daily.

Note: Most of the major credit/debit cards, such as American Express, MasterCard, Visa, all Euro cards and JCB are widely accepted in various hotels and shops. If you want to use an ATM machine, they mostly accept Visa, MasterCard and Cirrus cards.

If you can’t find an ATM machine in your vicinity, you can still obtain cash if you go to any of the Misr Bank branches. Banks are unwilling to accept $100 notes issued before 1992. If you wish to convert your currency, you can use $US, £UK or Euros, as they are accepted in many banks and other places.

Tip: Don’t exchange money until you arrive in Egypt; the conversion rate is much better here!

If you at any point during your tour, run out of money, and your credit cards are not accepted, you still can get money wired to you from abroad. In Egypt, there are plenty of Western Union branches; it takes just a few minutes to get any sum of money sent to you from abroad. *** Power sockets are the same as a lot of countries in Europe (220Volt / 60Hz). You may find the picture more helpful. ***

General Travel Tips: If you must take a taxi, then it would be best if you asked the reception/concierge of your hotel to get you one. They have certain assigned taxis that they know very well, and deal with on a daily basis. If you want to tour a site on your own, you have to be aware of where you are going, how much you are going to pay for the ticket, and what is included with the ticket! This is the reason why we provide these information.

To help first time travelers to Egypt. If you want to dine out, then you must know where the recommended restaurants are, and where you will find the clean healthy food. Don’t worry about the price, even if you dine in a 5 star hotel, it is still cheaper than in your own country! Independent travel, for your first experience, is not advised. First and foremost, prepare yourself for a culture shock! Many seasoned travellers are amazed when they first visit Egypt, and find that it is unlike any other country that they have previously visited!

Never drink the tap water! It is okay to wash, shower and clean your teeth with it, but it is not advised to drink. Bottled water is cheap and plentiful; use it instead!

In Egypt they drive on the right, be careful when crossing roads. Take special care in Cairo, where the traffic is a lot busier than in other Egyptian cities – especially outside the Egyptian museum! ***

Shall you eat with me?

Egyptian foods will surprise you!

“I’m very hungry …I want to eat ….ohhhh the breakfast is Ful Medammes!!” Fūl, is an Egyptian dish of cooked and mashed fava beans served with bread (aysh baladi), sliced hard-boiled eggs olive oil, chopped parsley, onion, garlic and lemon juice. The roots of fūl mudammas can be traced to Pharaonic Egypt.

Fūl is an ancient Egyptian word in hieroglyphs and mudammas was originally Coptic, meaning buried (cooked underground). Fava beans was also mentioned in Hittite texts and the Bible. Ramses II of Egypt is known to have offered 11,998 jars of beans to the god of the Nile.

Imagine what you will eat in the lunch?? It will be Molokhiyya. Molokhiyya is a leafy, green, summer vegetable. A traditional dish in Egypt Molokhiyya was consumed in Ancient Egyptian cuisine, where its name originates. It means ‘for kings and nobles’ because it is believed that only kings and nobles were allowed to eat it.

I am thirsty I want to drink anything to swallow the Molokhiyya. The appropriate drink is KarkadyHibiscus tea. It is one of the most popular and unusual drinks that you can find in Egypt. Made from the dried, dark red petals of the Hibiscus flower. It has many medical benefits such as strengthening the heart beats , kills microbes and others. The best Karkady comes from Upper Egypt. Be sure to bring home a bag of dried petals from Aswan or Luxor to make it.

After these delicious food... come dinner time, we will eat the most fatty and wonderful meal. It is Feteer El-meshaltet or Soggy Meshaltet. It is one of the oldest types of Unleavened Bread in history. With the passage of the days it is handed

down through generations and become part of the Egyptian culture and become offered to guests as an expression of ovation. From Upper Egypt to Delta Feteer El-meshaltet present in the holidays, and events, and weddings, and has great social importance because women in rural areas prepare it, and donate it to their relatives and guests.

We end with a funny note. US President Barack Obama (requested) to eat Feteer El-meshaltet in his visit to Egypt in June 4, 2009 ;)