Presidential IUPsyS Post-Assembly Communiqué

Presidential IUPsyS Post-Assembly Communiqué 

ICP2024

We are immensely proud of the success and quality of the International Congress of Psychology held in Prague, Czech Republic. The academic program, the enthusiastic engagement of the participants, and the outstanding organization made this a historic ICP, especially after the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Czech-Moravian Psychological Society for their extraordinary commitment and relentless enthusiasm in reuniting the global psychological community at our flagship event. We are especially proud of the recipients of the Quadrennial Awards: 

  • Linda T Smith, New Zealand, Achievement Against the Odds
  • John W Berry, Canada, Lifetime Career Award
  • Susan Gelman, USA, Major Advancement in Psychological Science Prize
  • Markus Langer, Germany, Young Investigator Award (Applied Science)
  • Jozefien De Leersnyder, Belgium, Young Investigator Award (Basic Science)

We acknowledge and thank them for their invaluable contributions to psychology, which continue to inspire and elevate our discipline worldwide.

IUPsyS Global Psychological Science Leadership Summit

This landmark event convened regional psychology leaders from across the globe on July 21, 2024, to unite and mobilise efforts to collaboratively contribute to the global development agenda as a means to better serve humanity. The primary objective of the Inaugural Global Psychological Science Leadership Summit was to agree on the importance of regional psychological bodies collaborating effectively on global initiatives, with a specific emphasis on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Summit featured presentations and breakout sessions, during which participants – comprising delegates from the seven IUPsyS Regional Members – engaged in collaborative discussions to develop actionable plans for regional and global initiatives. This summit culminated in a plenary session where the participants discussed and endorsed The Prague Global Psychology and Sustainability Declaration.

2024 Hybrid Assembly

On behalf of the IUPsyS Executive Committee (EC), I extend appreciation to all Delegates for the extensive discussions and contributions made at our biennial Assembly, which was held as a hybrid event on Monday, July 22, 2024, and Wednesday, July 24, 2024, during the 33rd International Congress of Psychology (ICP2024) in the beautiful city of Prague, Czech Republic. The Union’s first hybrid Assembly ensured the effective participation of our colleagues who, for various reasons, could not attend in person. This format allowed for broader engagement and inclusivity, reflecting our commitment to making the Union’s activities accessible to all members, regardless of location or circumstance. We will continue striving to facilitate participation and engagement across our entire IUPsyS membership, promoting a more connected and collaborative global psychological community.

2024 Elections

The Assembly elected Brigitte Khoury, Lebanon, as President-Elect and Marizaida Sánchez Cesáreo, Puerto Rico, as Treasurer.

Brigitte Khoury is a Professor and clinical psychologist at the Psychiatry Department at the Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut. She is a member of the advisory group for revising the International Classification of Diseases with WHO-Geneva and the regional coordinator for field studies in the Arab region. She is a consultant for several NGOs and UN bodies such as UNFPA, UNHCR, International Medical Corps, and Medecins sans Frontieres. Brigitte has served as an IUPsyS EC Member for six years, and we know her valuable experience will serve well for the Union to fulfill its mission.

Marizaida Sánchez Cesáreo holds a doctorate in Clinical Community Psychology. She has extensive expertise in programme development, evaluation, capacity building, technical assistance, community based-research, evidence-based interventions, and fundraising. For over a decade, her work has focused on promoting policies, practices, and programs that aim to facilitate the optimal development of children, youth, and families by addressing health disparities that affect their lives. We look forward to her contributions as Treasurer to the Union.

I am happy to welcome the new members of our Executive Committee: Allan B. I. Bernardo, Philippines; Luis Carrizo, Uruguay; Nicky Hayes, United Kingdom; Randal Tonks, Canada; and Moana Waitoki, New Zealand. We look forward to collaborating with this outstanding and globally representative group of accomplished psychologists elected by the Assembly. Their diverse expertise and commitment to advancing the discipline will be invaluable as we work together to achieve our shared goals and further the impact of psychology worldwide. I also sincerely appreciate the current EC Members who will continue serving the Union for the remainder of their term: Gregoire Borst, France; Prakash Padakannaya, India; Robertas Povilaitis, Lithuania; Hanako Suzuki, Japan; and Andrew Ezadueyan Zamani, Nigeria. Their voice, ongoing dedication, and leadership remain vital to our mission and the success of our initiatives.

Appreciation of Outgoing Executive Committee Members 

I commend Past President Pam Maras, UK, for her contributions to the Union. In the last years, she was Chair of the Standing Committee on Publications, Chair of the IUPsyS Quadrennial Awards, Chair of the Elections Committee, and is the Union’s representative to the Committee on Data (CODATA), as well as a Union representative to the Standing Committee on Gender Equality in Science. Her service to the Union has been remarkable, and we wish to express our sincere gratitude.

On behalf of all current Executive representatives, I would like to sincerely thank past EC Members for their valuable contributions to the Union: Amanda Clinton, USA (Treasurer, 2021-2024); Simon Crowe, Australia (2016-2024); and Martina Klicperová, Czech Republic (2016-2024). Their commitment, hard work, and leadership have greatly enriched our organization and its mission. We are deeply grateful for their impactful service and the positive difference they have made in advancing our collective goals. 

Strategic Planning

During the past four years, IUPsyS has focused on actions related to the current Strategic Plan. The strategic priorities of the plan focus on the five pillars with their associated actions, which we will continue to develop, namely:

  1. Growing our global footprint and impact as a broker/convener of psychological science to deal with issues of critical importance to the international psychological community and humanity.
  2. Engagement with National and Regional Members.
  3. Increasing regional activity and engagement to enhance IUPsyS’ impact and relevance.
  4. Improving the global visibility and profile of IUPsyS.
  5. Developing IUPsyS’ operational capacity and financial underpinnings to enable the enactment of the Action Plan.

We were pleased to have two guest speakers at the 2024 Assembly. The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Executive-Director, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) who shared invaluable insights (virtually) on the pivotal role of psychological science within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and UNITAR’s mission to develop capacities for global decision-making and support country-level action for a better future.

We were privileged to hear from Carlos Álvarez Pereira, Secretary-General of The Club of Rome and Member of the Steering Committee of the Earth-Humanity Coalition, who emphasized the vital role of science in advancing actions for sustainable development. IUPsyS will continue its active engagement in the International Decade of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDBSSD). 

Within this context, the 2024 Assembly delegates engaged in Strategic Planning discussions on the overarching principle of sustainability. As the global voice of psychology, IUPsyS has a significant role in advancing humanity’s collective well-being by contributing to solutions to address shared global challenges. We recognize the fundamental role of psychology as a nexus science, uniquely positioned to connect and collaborate with other disciplines in advancing a sustainable global agenda. Psychology must intensify efforts to work synergistically within and with other sciences, emphasizing our shared responsibility to foster sustainable development for all. We acknowledge that solutions must reflect national and regional diversity while promoting a shared vision for global psychology. We also recognise the importance of collaborating with other scientific organisations to ensure coordinated, impactful actions.

Conclusion
At the close of the Assembly, special recognition was given to the Turkish Psychological Association for their exemplary humanitarian efforts following the 2023 series of earthquakes on the Turkish-Syrian border. A presidential citation was presented, commending their vital mental health support and recovery assistance to the impacted communities. 

We look forward to enhancing our engagement with our members. We are committed to enhancing the discipline’s historical standing and capacity to engage organised psychology worldwide to advance our scientific and professional achievements. In the coming years, we aim to strengthen psychology’s pivotal role in promoting global sustainability. IUPsyS is dedicated to working with national members and regional organisations to enhance its contributions to psychology. This collaboration is crucial for the development of the scientific discipline and profession. Grounded in the framework of science diplomacy, ongoing engagement is essential to promote the growth and impact of psychology worldwide. Additionally, IUPsyS will continue to support the global psychology community in addressing natural and human-made crises, ensuring that psychology’s expertise and resources are effectively mobilised in times of need. The organisation is also committed to taking decisive actions to reassure the community of its unwavering dedication to the preservation and defense of human rights. It is paramount that psychological science and professional organisations maintain their integrity and are not misused for political or geo-political purposes.

Germán Gutiérrez
IUPsyS President