Ref. : E&R/Press/’05/Tour-MDS.8

CERC Invited to International Events in Philippines and Singapore

Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad, has been invited to participate in two international events in Manila and Singapore covering the period from 15 to 19 March 2005.

Prof. Manubhai Shah, Chairman Emeritus, will represent the organisation at a three-day Regional Cross-Learning Seminar on Sustainable Consumption, in Manila, the Philippines, during 15-17 March. Dr. C. J. Shishoo, Trustee, CERC laboratories, and former Principal of the L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, will attend an Asian Conference on ‘Traditional and Complementary Medicine’ in Singapore during 18-19 March 2005.

Sustainable Consumption

The Seminar in Manila, organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), will be hosted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines. It is the first multi-regional event involving governments and other sectors of societies from more than 20 countries exploring steps towards sustainable consumption in Asia.

The Seminar is part of the South Central Asia Project, funded by the European Union’s Asia Pro Eco Programme, dedicated to promoting sustainable solutions to environmental problems in Asia. The project partners, which include Consumers International, the Danish Consumers Council, the Centre for Environment and Development (Sri Lanka) and the UNEP, have conducted regional reviews of the status of, and conditions for, sustainable consumption in Asia (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam) and Europe (Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK).

The Seminar will provide training to participants on specific sustainable consumption tools, such as certification, procurement, marketing and waste management. It will also develop model national action plans on sustainable consumption as a capacity building exercise.

Traditional Medicine

Dr. S. Sothi Rachagan, Regional Director, Consumers International Regional Office for Asia Pacific (CI ROAP) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has invited CERC to attend the Conference in Singapore. It is being organised by CI ROAP, in collaboration with the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE).

The objectives of the conference are to :

* Gain an understanding of the nature of traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) products marketed in selected Asian countries and the consumer perception of these products

* Share the marketing strategies employed by industry to promote TCM products

* Discuss the national policies, programmes and regulations governing TCM products, and

* Develop proposals for the protection of consumers of TCM products.

Date : 14/03/2005
Place : Ahmedabad

Pritee Shah
Editor
INSIGHT - The Consumer Magazine

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CONSUMER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTRE
“Suraksha Sankool”, Thaltej, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad - 380 054 (INDIA)
Phone: 079-27489945-46, 30121001-3 Fax: 079-27489947
E-mail: cerc@wilnetonline.net
Web Site: http://www.cercindia.org
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