US embassy cable - 04ROME3024

UNCLAS ROME 003024 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR OES PDAS AROCK 
FOR OES/FO JBYRNES 
FOR OES/IHA ACRODDY 
 
HHS FOR NIH/FOGARTY CENTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, KSCA, IT, UN 
SUBJECT:  PROJECT ONE BILLION - PATRONAGE FROM THE UN 
 
Reftel:  Gallagher-Milliken email 01/07/04 
 
1.  This is an action request, see paragraph 4. 
 
2.  Background:  Project 1 Billion (P1B) - named for the 
more than 1 billion persons affected by mass violence 
embodied in the experience of war, ethnic conflict, torture 
and terrorism - has been under way since an initial meeting 
of officials from seven post-conflict Ministries of Health, 
scholars, scientists and international policy makers from 
more than 20 countries in September 2002 in Saraje 
vo.  P1B 
is sponsored by the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma 
(Harvard University), Caritas of Rome, Istituto Superiore di 
Sanita (Italian National Institute of Health), Istituto 
Studi Superiori Assunzione, Fulbright New Century Scholar 
Program and the World Bank, with the support of the World 
Health Organization (WHO), the Italian Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs, and the Italian Ministry of Health. The Project is 
organizing an International Congress of Ministers of Health 
for Mental Health and Post-Conflict Recovery to be held in 
Rome on December 3-4, 2004.  Approximately 50 countries will 
be invited to endorse a science-based mental health Action 
Plan and Book of Best Practices that could be implemented 
and disseminated worldwide.   In fact, post-trauma stress 
disease (PTSD) is without doubt the greatest long-term 
effect of war.  It affects economic and political recovery 
from conflict.  As victims pass their stress on to their 
children, it will have multi-generational results. 
According to P1B data, even poor countries can help PTSD 
victims without using expensive psychiatrists, hospitals and 
medicines.  Traditional healers, low budget health workers, 
clergy, teachers and others can be trained to counsel 
individuals and families and to run groups that alleviate 
stress.   The conference has received moral and financial 
support from the GOI, local and regional authorities, the 
International Organization for Migration, and private 
companies. 
 
3.  The conference brochure has a list of government 
institutions (e.g. the President of the Italian Republic) 
and international organizations (e.g. the Red Cross) 
supporting the concept behind the initiative (the so-called 
"Patronage list").  Conference organizers believe that UN 
support would increase the visibility and prestige of the 
initiative.  Embassy Rome also believes that this is a good 
idea. Per reftel, Post knows that OES/IHA was supportive of 
P1B, even if could not allocate funds for the initiative. 
Ambassador Sembler supports the project and agreed to give 
opening remarks at a meeting introducing the P1B to the post- 
conflict countries ambassadors in Rome last April.  The 
Science section is helping the organization committee, 
though acting "behind the scenes" (the Embassy - or other 
USG organizations - will not be in the patronage list). 
 
4.  Action request:  Department is asked to contact 
appropriate UN officials to seek UN agreement to officially 
support Project 1 Billion.   Sembler 
 
 
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	2004ROME03024 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED