Having been a member of ISSBD for almost more years than I care to remember, and having had to honour to serve the Society as its President from 2002 to 2006, I want to endorse the decision taken by ISSBD to hold its Biennial Meetings 2010 in Zambia, and I want to do this for two main reasons. The first comes simply from wonderful memories I have of my trip to Zambia in 1996 when I attended the ISSBD African Regional Workshop held in Lusaka. I was overwhelmingly impressed by the friendship shown to me by the local organisers and their colleagues, by the professionalism of the staff at the university, and by the sheer energy and determination of the young people I encountered. Indeed, the overall engagement of the researchers I met during my visit, which resulted in wonderful discussions both academic and personal, lead to collaboration and several long-lasting friendships. In addition - and contrary to what some people who, in my experience, usually have little or no experience of Africa, seem to suggest - we were offered good, affordable facilities that stand up to comparison with those I have encountered in many areas of Europe and the US. We were also so well looked after that security was never an issue.
The second reason, and one that I feel particularly strongly about, is that ISSBD – as the first part of its name claims – is an international organisation. In fact we claim on our website to be a “truly international organization.” If we are, then it means we must operate across the 60 countries represented by our Society and thereby ensure a geographical balance – dare I say fairness – in where we hold our Meetings. We all know the old adage about travel broadening the mind, but I think it is also about “….experiencing first-hand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way” to quote the Human Rights author, Ralph Crawshaw, which for psychologists involved in Human Development research can only be a good thing.
In sum, I can wholeheartedly recommend a visit to Zambia. I was there, it was safe, it was wonderful – the best that Africa has to offer. So don’t miss out on a great intellectual, cultural and mind-expanding experience. See you there in 2010!