‘Ayurveda for one Health’ is the focal theme of the December 8-11 event this year at Kala Academy, being organised by World Ayurveda Foundation, an initiative of Vijnana Bharati. The 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) & Arogya Expo, will be held in Goa in December, seeking to give a transformational push to Ayurveda to bring it into global focus.

Another objective of the event, being held in Goa for the first time, is to create an accessible and affordable healthcare system that is in harmony with modern medical practices. As a prelude to the WAC, Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister, AYUSH; Dr Pramod Sawant, Goa Chief Minister and  Shripad Yesso Naik, Union Minister of State for Tourism will attend a curtain raiser event at Hotel Vivanta by Taj here on 13 October.

Vishwajit P Rane, Goa Minister of Health;  Govind Gaude, Goa Minister of Arts and Culture; and Vd Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Union Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy), will also attend the curtain raiser event.

The four-day event, supported by both the Central and state governments and the Union Ministry of AYUSH, will witness an assemblage of various Ayurveda stakeholders — industry leaders, practitioners, traditional healers, educationists, students, drug manufacturers, growers of medicinal plants and marketing strategists — from across the world.

Seven plenary sessions, 16 themes for oral presentation, a string of associated events, and public outreach programs will dominate the proceedings of the conclave. The associated events include a seminar on Medicinal Plants by the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB); a conclave on Pashu Ayurveda; Ethnopharmacology & Traditional Healers’ Meet; Guru Shishya Meet by Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth (RAV), an autonomous organisation under Ministry of AYUSH; Principals’ Conclave by National Commission for Indian System of Medicine(NCISM); Ayurveda & Jyothish Vijnana; and International Delegates Assembly. There will also be a session on Ayurveda & Media and a Short Film Festival on Ayurveda.

As many as 24 satellite seminars were organised across the country during August-October as a run-up to the 9th WAC. These seminars covered a wide range of topics and were designed to preach the objectives of the Congress and enhance delegate registration.