Is an article written by Dr. Eyad El Sarraj). "I sat on my desk determined to write an article for Al-Quds newspaper expressing my “free” opinion about what is happening in our society…"

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Dr. Eyad El Sarraj and Mr. Salah Abdel Shaffi met with a Dutch fact finding mission visiting the Palestinian Territories and Israel. The delegation consisted of members of the Dutch Parliament, the European Parliament, and representing different political parties. Dr. El Sarraj and Mr. Abdel Shaffi briefed the delegation on the impact of violence on the mental health as well as on the latest development in the region.

In cooperation with the Right to Live Society for Children with Down's Syndrome in Gaza, the training and Education Department started a three-month training course titled "Mental Health" for 17 professionals of the society. The professionals of GCMHP will be conducting the training sessions about different of mental health aspects.

The trauma counseling team of GCMHP conducted a free medical day at the Rural Woman Development Society of Moghraga area near Niztareem settlement south of Gaza. The team dealt with 140 cases that suffer from physical and mental health problems.

This was the name of a two-day workshop conducted by the Children Project team of GCMHP. This workshop was organized in cooperation with the Al-Rashad Islamic Kindergarten" and comes as part of the Children Project set to enable  kindergarten teachers to better deal with children's problems.

Professionals of GCMHP in the middle area conducted a five-day training course titled "The Current Situation and its Impact on Children" for

kindergarten teachers. This was set in cooperation with the Developmental Training Society" in Deir El-Balah, where 15 participants attended the training course.

A delegation Consisting of Dr. David Becker, a psychologist from OPSI, Office for Psycho-social Issues, and Ms. Ursula Keller of CFD, Christlicher Friedensdienst in Bern, visited WEP centers and GCMHP from 22-27 of Feb.The accompanied self-evaluation mission is one of three intended missions for monitoring and evaluation of the WEP. The delegation met with Dr. Eyad El Sarraj and Salah Abdel Shaffi, Director General of the Programme, and Ms. Manal Awad, the Director of the WEP.

Dr. Jess Ghannam, a professor of psychiatry at California University in San Francesco, visited the Programme from the period 15-19 of February. During his visit, Dr. Ghannam taught the clinical psychology course to the Post graduate Diploma students. He also worked on professional standards and classification of GCMHP professionals.

Mr. Salah Abdel Shaffi headed a study day with GCMHP professionals, where professional classification and standards and other clinical issues were raised. This day comes as part of a chain of study days to improve the quality of services provided by GCMHP professionals.

GCMHP signed a petition distributed via the internet by the National Committee against the Separation Wall". The site was www.thewallpetetion.com. This petition addresses the International Court of Justice in The Hague in Arabic and English and shows that the wall reinforces the Israeli Military Occupation and the settlements on Palestinian land.

Dr. Jan Ter Laak, a professor of psychology at Utrecht University, visited the Programme from the 28^th of this Feb., and will stay till the 8^th of March.

He will be involved in conducting interviews to finalize the admission process for the post graduate diploma offered by the Programme. He will also conduct a revision of the Child Development course for the diploma students. Dr. Ter Laak will also participate in research studies in the Research Department.

The Training and Education Department of GCMHP started an intensive training course titled "Mental Health and Human Rights" for 19 members of the General Intelligence of Gaza. This course is one of the courses offered by GCMHP to raise awareness and orientation of mental health and human rights issues to the law enforcement personnel.

- The Consul General of Sweden, Mr. Joran Berg and the Vice Consul, Ms. Anne Mawe, visited the Programme and met with Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj, Salah Abdel Shaffi, and other members of GCMHP. During the meeting, Dr. El Sarraj presented the guests with a view of the current Palestinian situation and the psycho-social effects of the Israeli occupation practices in the Occupied Territories.

-Mr.FabricioLomanto, a facilitator of Grassroots International in Palestine, visited the Programme and met with Salah Abdel Shaffi and Husam El-Nounou. In the meeting, they talked about the activities of the Programme and the future cooperation between the two organizations.

-Mr. Salah Abdel Shaffi met with two German parliament members Ms. Marianne Trit and Mr. Ludger Volmer. In the meeting, Mr. Abdel Shaffi talked about the services provided by GCMHP in the area of mental health and human rights.

-Mr. Martijn Lambarts, the Second Secretary of the Representative office of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and his wife, Veronika Kopackova visited the Programme on the 28-29 of Feb. They participated in the admission interviews of the post graduate diploma. They were also accompanied by Marwan Diab from the PR Department on a field visit in the Gaza in order to see first hand the current Palestinian situation.