From 17–20 July 2014, the European Youth Conference for IBD Patients was held in Dublin, Ireland. CYCCA was represented by Assistant Secretary Natasa-Rebecca Theodosiou and Assistant Treasurer Athanasia Charalambous.

The conference brought together 37 participants from 19 European countries (United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Finland, Cyprus, France, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Belgium, Serbia, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, and the Netherlands). For the first time, Israel also participated, proving that improving the quality of life and social inclusion of people living with IBD knows no borders.

Participants exchanged knowledge and experiences and took part in two workshops focused on raising public awareness and promoting understanding of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease. During the conference, all 19 countries presented the activities of their national associations and showcased posters highlighting their work and achievements.

At the conclusion of the conference, all 19 participating countries were invited to vote for the poster and presentation they found most impressive. After the votes were counted, the winning country for 2014 was announced:

CYPRUS!

See below for photographs from the conference, Cyprus’s presentation, the award ceremony, and the poster from the Cypriot delegation that won 1st place.