The IPPNW Student Movement www.ippnw-students.org consists of thousands of active medical students all over the world. Local student groups organize projects in their region, bringing medical aid to people who cannot afford it, demonstra-ting against nuclear war or raising awareness about certain issues through lectures and events.
As medical students, we strive to help our patients by protecting them from harm and promoting their health. In medicine, treating the symptoms is not enough. A good doctor wants to discover the cause behind the patients ailment because thats the best way to really help him/her.
Now, imagine the world as your patient with all its wars, famines and injustice. Would you be content to simply cover up the symptoms?
In 1980, in the midst of the Cold War, two doctors form the United States and the Soviet Union had enough of the arms race between their countries. Together, they founded IPPNW, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.
IPPNW seeks to:
- Prevent all wars
- Promote non-violent conflict resolution
- Minimize the effects of war on health, development, and the environment.
Today, IPPNW is a global federation of national medical organizations in 58 countries dedicated to peace and social responsibility.
The International Student Movement is also part of this worldwide network and offers interested students many opportunities to participate in the organization:
- The Medical Exchange Program (MedEx) gives students the opportunity to practice medicine and engage in social projects in many different countries, such as Zambia, Canada, Philippines, Ireland and Kenya.
- The Refugee Camp Project (ReCap) gives students the opportunity to live and work in a refugee camp. In the summer of 2004, a delegation of IPPNW students visited the Palestinian Aida Refugee Camp near Bethlehem where they worked and observed the living conditions there.
- The Nuclear Weapons Inheritance Project (NWIP) gives students the opportunity to travel to nuclear states such as Pakistan, Russia, France, China, the US, India or the UK in order to start a dialogue with decision makers and students about the nuclear policy of their home country
For more information please visit the website www.ippnw-students.org
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