Dear ILDS Members, friends and colleagues,

Welcome to the first newsletter of my term as ILDS President and what an exciting start it has been!

After 4 years of planning, much of it with the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, the ILDS' 25th World Congress of Dermatology in Singapore was a great success! Attended by over 12,000 delegates from 150 countries around the world, it was an incredible six days of learning, networking and inspiration. Thank you to all who attended, and special thanks to Professor Roy Chan, president of WCD2023 and the National Organizing Committee for setting the standard for future World Congresses.

At the Ordinary General Meeting of the Assembly of Delegates in Singapore, the new members of the ILDS Board of Directors were elected; they bring a wealth of knowledge, energy and passion for the work of the ILDS with them. Please join me in welcoming them all.  At the same meeting, Guadalajara, Mexico was selected the site of the 26^th WCD, which will take place on 23rd to 26th June, 2027.  Please mark your calendar!

I look forward to working with and meeting many Members during my term as we all continue our efforts to achieve excellent "Skin Health for the World".

With warm personal greetings,

Henry

ILDS Medal of Achievement in Global Dermatology 2023 - Awarded every four years at the World Congress of Dermatology, the ILDS Medal of Achievement in Global Dermatology is our most prestigious award. We're thrilled to announce this year's recipient: Jean Bolognia, MD! Find out more about our winner here.                                                                                     

ILDS Young Dermatologist International Achievement Awards 2023 - Recognising recently qualified dermatologists who have made an outstanding contribution to international dermatology, particularly for patients in under-served areas of the world, we are proud to present the 2023 winners. Find out more here. 

New ILDS President takes office - Prof Henry W. Lim has now officially assumed the position following the conclusion of the 25th World Congress of Dermatology on 8th July 2023 in Singapore. Prof Lim is committed to furthering the ILDS’ initiatives and achievements. Find out more about Prof Lim here. 

ILDS Board News - At the Ordinary General Meeting of the Assembly of Delegates held on 5 and 6 July 2023, eligible ILDS Member Societies elected new Regional and International Directors for the 2023-2027 ILDS Board of Directors. We congratulate and look forward to working with both the new and continuing Board Members over the next four years. 

Huge thanks to all of the retiring Board Members for their commitment and service to the ILDS during the past four years and for making such a huge and invaluable contribution towards the ILDS’ vision: “Skin Health for the World”

Immediate Past-President Prof Lars French Lookback - As Prof Lars French completed his term as the President of the ILDS, we are honoured to reflect on the remarkable achievements and significant milestones that characterised his four-year tenure. Read the full article here.

ILDS Member Initiatives Directory launched - A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ILDS Member Societies who submitted articles for the Directory showcasing their creative and informative initiatives to help guide and strengthen dermatological practice. ​​Read the Directory here.

Global Partnerships for Education and Care (GPEC) Programme Update -After over 40 applications were received, we are pleased to announce that 6 international partnerships, with 12 dermatology departments involved, have been selected to participate in our new ILDS programme. Further details will be published soon but do check our dedicated GPEC page for the latest news.

New IFD Vice Chair announced - We're honoured to welcome Dr Esther Freeman MD PhD FAAD as the new Vice-Chair of the IFD. Dr Freeman, along with Dr Claire Fuller (IFD Chair), established the International Alliance for Global Health Dermatology (GLODERM) in 2018. We warmly welcome Dr Esther Freeman to the team!                                                                                                                   

Celebrating 10 years of World Skin Health Day - To mark the anniversary, we are excited to unveil our new WSHD video, logo, branding, and website, as we continue our mission to promote skin health and provide better support for those affected by skin diseases. Watch the video here.

Migrant Health Working Group Lebanon Mission - The IFD and Bridges2Health&Rights recently conducted a one-week mission to provide medical assistance to local and displaced communities in Lebanon, led by the IFD Migrant Health Dermatology Working Group (MHDWG). Find out more here.

DermLink Grants 2023 - We received an overwhelmingly positive response from an extensive range of innovative and transformative project proposals. The 2023 recipients have now been chosen and will be announced soon. Follow us (@ILDSderm) for news on the successful projects and upcoming grant application cycles.  

Meet the second class of GLODERM Mentees and Mentors - We are thrilled to announce the second class of GLODERM Mentees, marking an exciting chapter in the journey of these aspiring global health dermatology leaders. Find out more.

First global meeting on Skin NTDs - As reported in the last newsletter, the ILDS worked alongside the WHO for their first global meeting on skin-related neglected tropical diseases (skin NTDs) in Geneva, Switzerland. Read the ILDS news item regarding the event.

World Health Assembly (WHA) side meeting on Diseases of the Skin - The 76th World Health Assembly Side Meeting on Diseases of the Skin was held on May 24th, 2023, held by ILDS in partnership with Anesvad. Read the full article for more details from the meeting, as well as key recommendations and actions, the full Universal Health Coverage Constituency Statement recording, useful resources and more!

Global Psoriasis Atlas - During the WCD, the GPA enjoyed successful meetings with collaborators and shared a fabulous reception with their friends & partners, sharing the important work of the GPA. Find out more about the work of the GPA here.

Inspire Skin Confidence Awards 2023 - Huge congratulations to the International Awards for Social Responsibility in Dermatology Award Winners who were announced during WCD2023. Find out more about the winners and their inspiring work here.

GlobalSkin Launches Groundbreaking GRIDD Study - The Global Research on the Impact of Dermatological Diseases (GRIDD) project is the first global patient impact project in the history of dermatology. Open until September 28, 2023 - find out more here.

Get involved! We would be delighted to share news of ILDS Member Societies' events and webinars on our website and in our newsletters*. 

*Terms and conditions apply - click below for more details.

Neglected Tropical Diseases NGO Network (NNN) Conference 

EADV Congress, Berlin Germany

12th World Congress of Itch (WCI)