Message from Secretary

Dear colleagues,

I am honoured to serve as Secretary of the ILA for the coming period. One thing that struck many attendees of the ILC2022, was that there were so many young researchers and leprosy workers attending. What I would like to see happen is that this interest would be reflected in the ILA membership and Council. The ILA Council and its Officers would like to revitalise the ILA and its activities. To do so, we need the younger generations of leprosy scientists and professionals, as well as persons affected by leprosy to become members, so that we have a mechanism to involve and consult you and, indeed, to elect younger colleagues in the Council.

We do have a younger-generation Treasurer, Dr Sundeep Chaitanya, and his involvement is immediately visible in the way the new ILA website has been set up and the financial account has been made accessible. Similarly, we would like to engage in educational activities in collaboration with other leprosy organisations and in making the programme of the ILC attractive to a wider audience of persons working in the field of leprosy. Input and creativity to do this is needed and for this we would strongly welcome contributions from younger colleagues. If you are reading this and are young in age or in heart, I would like to challenge you to become a member of the ILA to try and rejuvinate the association from the inside out!

Kind regards,

Wim van Brakel