The World of Breastfeeding Gathers

From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 22 No. 2, March-April 2005, p. 64

You're invited to the LLLI Conference in Washington DC, USA, on July 2-5, 2005. You'll have the opportunity to experience an international, breastfeeding friendly atmosphere as you attend sessions, luncheons, and other activities. Join the world breastfeeding community this summer to participate in the following events.

The Parade of Nations

The Parade of Nations is a colorful extravaganza with representatives from almost every continent. The display is a moving expression of the importance of breastfeeding to the world community. Wear the dress of your nation, bring your children and your flags, and come together for our common cause.

Global Sessions

While almost every Conference speaker presents an international point of view, there are also special global sessions. Many different countries will be represented by presenters and facilitators of the global sessions.

The theme of these sessions will be "Combining Non-Technological Approaches with Information Technology to Promote, Support, and Protect Breastfeeding." At each session, there will be eight tables, each focusing on a particular non-technological approach such as music, posters, courses, theatre skits, and drawing. There will be a facilitator at each table who will guide the discussion to its conclusion.

Each session will focus on combining technology and non-technological approach-es to achieve some objective. The objectives are to promote, support, and protect exclusive breastfeeding; the role of breastfeeding in the prenatal, delivery and postpartum period; breastfeeding in the Context of HIV and AIDS; the role of the father in the breastfeeding experience; and breastfeeding as an essential component for mother-child health interventions. This approach will also be used in sessions that discuss how to widen and strengthen the global network of community-based breastfeeding counselors and how to support the mother who combines working and breastfeeding.

The World Faire

This event allows you to travel the world in three hours! It will feature over 80 displays from LLL representatives and advocates from all over the world. Enjoy family entertainment and browse, admire, or purchase hand-crafted merchandise at the World Faire. Don't forget to have your "passport" stamped as you visit with attendees from many different countries!

Poster Sessions

While at the Conference don't forget to look at the poster presentations located on the Terrace level. Here you will learn about many breastfeeding projects, programs, and studies happening around the world. Poster presentation topics at the last Conference ranged from "Promoting Breastfeeding to Diverse Populations in the USA" to "Actions in the Media/Communities to Revive the Eroding Breastfeeding Culture in Nigeria." Posters for this Conference also promise to share breastfeeding success from around the world. Poster presenters will be available to talk about their presentations and answer questions by their posters from 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm on July 3 and 5.

Gallery of Gatherings

This event is an opportunity to socialize with various groups who are involved with La Leche League. You can stay in one place and meet, learn, and share experiences with many different people.

We hope to see you in Washington DC as we celebrate Breastfeeding: Ancient Art, Modern Miracle. The LLLI Conference features almost 100 different sessions on breastfeeding, parenting, and self-development. Visit the LLLI Web site at www.llli.org for more information.

Last updated Monday, October 16, 2006 by njb.

Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:30:52 UTC 2007.