top of page

Honourable Members of the International Chair in Bioethics,

​

World Bioethics Day Department of International Chair in Bioethics, WMA Cooperating Centre, is excited to announce the celebration of EIGHTH WORLD BIOETHICS DAY globally on Thursday, 19th October 2023. All the Units of the Chair across the world (263 as of today) are invited to celebrate the ‘Common Program’ as part of their commitment to proliferate the awareness and practice of Bioethical principles documented in the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights 2005.

​

The theme for this year’s celebration shall be ‘Protecting future generations’. This theme is inspired by the Article 16 of UNESCO UDBHR. Protecting future generations is multidimensional and involves creating an environment which provides physical, mental, psychological, social, and moral health. The ongoing situations of conflicts and war make it mandatory for all the human beings to introspect and realize the value of life and weigh it against the horrors of war. It is one of our many responsibilities towards the next generations to leave the earth rich in clean air, ample clean drinkable water, and other natural resources. Thus, we all must pledge to handover a beautiful and peaceful world to our future generations.

 

The Common Program and Timeline of the events for World Bioethics Day 2023 shall be as follows:

International Program: (To be coordinated by Unit Heads)

  1. Name of Event: World Bioethics Day 2023.

    1. Official WBD logo (on the top left and sent along with this email): It should be used for all the documents, programs, banners/flyers related to WBD 2023.

    2. Official logo of International Chair in Bioethics, Porto (on the top right of this page and sent along with this email): It should also appear on all the documents, programs, banners/flyers related to WBD.

    3. Official WBD Banner is prepared by WBD Department and circulated to all Units along with the email containing this program.

    4. Official WBD Banner of Units: Every Unit should prepare its own official WBD banner as soon as possible. The same should bear the official logos, as mentioned above under point no. 1(a) and (b).

 

First announcement: Units of the Chair should announce the celebration of World Bioethics Day 2023 within the first week of March 2023 through their Universities/Institutions and institutional website(s) and/or other methods to all stakeholders (teaching faculty/students/nurses/private practitioners/public etc.) by publishing the official WBD 2023 banner released by the WBD Department. The International collaborators of Chair, e.g., WMA, IFMSA etc. shall also announce the program through their website(s) or by any other means as deemed fit and decided by them.

  1. Submission of Draft/Tentative Program by the Units: The Unit Heads/Secretaries should submit the MS word file of their tentative program at https://forms.gle/Zyffao9D1kiWorDm6, latest by 30th April 2023. This is only tentative program and Units can make changes in the same later but before submission of “Final Program”. The purpose of this program is to express willingness to celebrate WBD 2023 by the Unit.

  2. Promotion of Program by Units: It is advised that Units shall try to expand the program beyond the limits of their Institutions to city, regional and national levels and ensure involvement of other stakeholders. It may be either in the form of celebration beyond the physical boundaries of Institution and/or actively involving various relevant professional organizations of the city in which unit operates, such as doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, lawyers, judges, hospitals (municipal/ corporate), philosophers, speech therapists, psychologists, social workers, journalists etc. Different groups of citizens should be invited to take active part in various programs organized by the Units, such as seminars, posters, debates, panel discussions, films etc. Units may collaborate with such professional organizations for the celebration of World Bioethics Day.

  3. Submission of entries for various International Competitions: From the date of first announcement (that is 10th February 2023) till 10th August (Thursday) 2023.

 

All the international competitions will be on the theme of the year i.e., ‘Protecting future generations’. This year the categories of International Competitions for students shall be:

  1. Artistic Poster Competition

  2. Poetry Competition (English only)

  3. Photography Competition

  4. Short films/ videos Competition

  5. Scientific Poster Competition

  6. Scientific Research Paper Competition

       

  ONLY ONE ENTRY per unit per competitive category shall be allowed. All the entries shall be awarded Certificate with the name of Student(s) and Unit. ONLY STUDENTS are allowed to participate in these International Competitions. NO FACULTY/ STAFF entries will be entertained. All entries should be sent along with the participants’ details as prescribed in the ‘Online Competition Registration Form’ at https://forms.gle/sFdPvq2t7UNRgpxy7.

All the Units should participate in the International Competitions. If a Unit has multiple sub-units, such sub-units are NOT permitted to send separate entries. All such sub-units may send their entries to their Unit, which in turn shall select ONLY ONE entry per competitive event and submit the same as Unit’s entry in that event category. The winners will be awarded.

WORLD BIOETHICS DAY 2023

2023.png

It is suggested that Units should hold such competitions at their local level before Monday, 31st July 2023 and the First Winning entry should be sent for International Competitions before Thursday, 10th August 2023. All such entries of local competitive events along with winning entries may be displayed for the audience during the WBD celebrations on 19th October 2023.

​

6. Progress Information and Video conferencing:

a. Unit Heads should keep their Regional Coordinators (as per the Steering Committee details mentioned below) informed about the developments and any hindrances/difficulties faced by them.

b. Regional Coordinators shall share the information about developments in their region and any issues faced by them/raised by Units with Head of WBD Department, so that necessary and timely measures can be taken to resolve the same. The same may be facilitated by video conference meetings of Unit Heads with Heads of Regions and/or the WBD department.

7. Submission of Final Program by the Units: On or before 31st August 2023 to WBD Department by uploading the file on https://forms.gle/BSXa7gVYYwsEoFAW7.

8. The Report of WBD 2023 celebration: Units should submit a report on World Bioethics Day 2023 as celebrated by their Units on or before 10th November 2023 to WBD department at worldbioethicsday.icb@gmail.com and to Newsletter Editorial Board at bioethicalvoicesnews@gmail.com

9. Special WBD issues of the Bioethical Voices Newsletter: Bioethical Voices will publish Final Programs of Units, and December 2023 issue will contain WBD 2023 reports of Units.

​

Common Program for Units (to be celebrated on 19th October 2023):

Session I: (Morning Session)

Part 1.

  1. Opening speech by Head of the Unit or Head of the Institution.

  2. Speech(es) by Head(s)/ representative(s) of collaborating Professional Organization(s).

  3. The greetings of International or local representatives of International Chair in Bioethics, WMA Cooperating Centre.

  4. The presentation of an award to an active member of the Unit.

Part 2. Guest lecture/Panel Discussion/Webinar/Symposium on ‘Protecting Future Generations’, by experts in Bioethics/Senior Faculty and involving student representative(s). Targeted audience should be junior staff, PG residents, UG students and Paramedics (Nursing and other supporting staff) and other stakeholders as decided by the Unit.

Session II (Afternoon Session): To encourage and enhance students' participation in the program, this session should include student activities and may include the following:

Part 3. Scientific Paper/Poster Presentation/Student Debate on ‘Protecting Future Generations’.

Part 4. Drawing/ Rangoli/ Poetry/ Singing/ Dance Competitions: (On ‘WBD Theme of the Year’)

Part 5. Display of entries of Scientific/Artistic Poster Competition, Short film/video Competition and Photography Competition.

Part 6. Valedictory Function.

In addition to above, all Units should prepare flyer or poster for World Bioethics Day event. It is further suggested that these flyers/posters may be prepared by the students of various Institutions/Units and should be based on the ‘World Bioethics Day’ theme of the year.

(PS: Units are permitted to make appropriate changes in the common program to suit their requirements. Units are entitled to plan their celebration on a different date in the month of October ONLY subject to local conditions.)

In addition to International Competitive Events and Local Events, other Unit level events suggested are:

  1. Essay writing competition.

  2. Skit/Play/Drama/Theatre/Music/Dance

  3. Symposia.

  4. Bioethics fair. Students may put up stalls and have street plays to create awareness among their colleagues, practicing doctors and laymen.

  5. Media appearances (Television/Radio).

  6. Newspaper articles.

Units can choose any of the above or plan any other additional activities, depending on the feasibility.

 

Program for Students’ Wings of the Units:

          Students’ Wings of the Units should be actively involved in the celebration of the event. Unit Heads, Steering committees of the Units and of Students’ Wings should ensure maximum participation of the students in the event. Students should pro-actively participate and play important role in conduction of most of the ceremonies.

Students can also be involved in some social activities, depending on the feasibility of individual Unit and Institution. These can be:

  1. Awareness programs at community level in the form of talks, role plays, skits etc. based on the theme of the World Bioethics Day 2023.

  2. Service/support programs for Covid-19 affected individuals/families.

  3. Any other.

 

Common Program for Students’ Associations:

IFMSA along with its associate medical associations worldwide will actively participate in the celebration of World Bioethics Day 2023. IFMSA should prepare the WBD plan and release the same for their member associations. IFMSA should release the tentative/confirmed dates for various planning milestones for their member associations, as deemed fit to them.

Important Notes (For all):

  1. It is suggested to include as many stakeholders as possible in the celebration of the program.

  2. Units will have the liberty for minor modifications/additions/deletions to the program.

  3. All Units should celebrate WBD and participate in International Competitions.

  4. All correspondence related to World Bioethics Day 2023 should be done ONLY on: worldbioethicsday.icb@gmail.com

  5. Having weeklong celebrations: Units, if want, may hold weeklong program as per their feasibility (though it is not suggested as common program for all the Units), but this celebration should not change the Common Program as suggested for the World Bioethics Day 2023.

  6. Please like, follow, and share the World Bioethics Day Department Facebook page of International Chair in Bioethics (https://www.facebook.com/internationalchairbioethics/) for regular updates.

​

bottom of page