More than 250 educators, researchers and practitioners gathered in AIIAS for the 16th AIIAS International Conference on Business, Education, and Public Health to discuss various topics on the theme of wholeness. Environmental crisis, vegetarian diet, teaching and learning trends, are among the topics discussed in the two-day conference which involved 38 presenters.
Participants presented research findings on new ideas and best practices in the fields of health, education and business. It also became an opportunity to network with national and international experts.
ADVENTIST AND VEGETARIAN STUDY
Among these experts were renowned Adventist scientist, Dr. Gary Fraser, who is the principal researcher in the study of diet, exercise, heart disease and cancer among the Adventist population in North America.
Fraser noted that in the 1950’s the Adventist church world headquarters hesitantly approved the first study on Adventist vegetarian and its health implications.
The reason is because there has been no scientific evidence on the benefits of vegetarian, a lifestyle that the church has been advocating for decades. The result of the study shows that Adventist vegetarian has much less obesity, heart disease and diabetes compared to the general population.
Church leaders admitted ‘no regret’ in deciding to support the research.
Today, more than sixty years later, the study on Adventist vegetarian shows more scientific evidence that vegetarian diet enhances health.
CALLS FOR MORE ACTION ON ENVIRONMENT
Another issue discussed in the conference was on responding to the pressing environmental crisis. Loma Linda-based medical geographer and environment nutritionist, Dr. Samuel Soret, argues that statements on environments alone are not enough.
“As a church we have all the infrastructure to respond and provide solution to the environment issues,” says Soret highlighting the network of Adventist hospitals and education institutions around the world.
He concluded that there needs to be more ‘mobilization and reflection.’
ICONFERENCE: A GROWING AIIAS EVENT
The 16th AIIAS International Conference on Business, Education, and Public Health concluded on November 19 as one of the most attended event of its kind and the most diverse in terms of participants.
Chair of the executive organizing committee, Dr. Cesar Galvez, noted that the international conference in AIIAS has grown significantly for the past seven years.
“The [high] number of universities, colleges and institutions from all over the Philippines who sent their presenters and representative to AIIAS means an increased prestige for AIIAS,” says Galvez. “This also means that AIIAS is beginning to be known as a research institution.”
He also noted that the presence of two ‘big’ Adventist scientists who are specialist in research added significant value to the event.
Attendees made the event as a motivation to do more research in their professional areas. A participant from Southern Luzon State University, Joan Eliada, tells of how pleased she was to hear experts from different fields of specialization.
“I am now motivated to do research [myself] and publish it,” she concluded.
By: Bruce Sumendap
AIIAS Public Relations Director
