21 December 2000
Hello,
It feels like a long time since the Congress in Jerusalem where I was elected as the new Chairperson of the Psychodrama Section, IAGP. Since then I have been travelling and working in Europe, Japan and within Australia, as well as carrying out my role as Co-Chairperson of the Scientific Committee for the 5th Pacific Regional Rim Congress of the IAGP. I feel very touched, firstly by Peter Kellermann’s decision to nominate me for the position of Chairperson and also by you electing me to this office. Thank you. It is my aim to work to continue to develop the psychodrama section by building on Peter’s excellent work and to create some new initiatives in the near future.
The Psychodrama Section is thriving due to a team of people who are working autonomously and creatively, expanding on the work of previous chairpersons, Peter Kellermann, Jorge Burmeister, David Kipper, as well as other significant contributors including Greta Leutz. The Psychodrama Section team is made up of Peter Kellermann who is continuing his work as the Editor of the Psychodrama Section Newsletter, Mariolina Werner who is working on the mailing list and developing ideas for the world map, Antonio Roma Torres who is continuing his work with the homepage and the world map, and myself, as chairperson of the section and representative on the Board of the IAGP. My major work this year has been organising the scientific program for the 5th PRRC. Details of the Congress can be found at the end of this letter.
We are all contributing to the work of the Psychodrama Section. Team members are working in concert with Ana Aguirregabiria, Secretary of the International Psychodrama Network (IPN). The IPN is a new development since the Jerusalem Congress. Monica Zuretti has written about its birth and Mariolina and Ana have written with more news recently. The IPN is a sociometric NETWORK. It is not a new association or an organisation and is not in competition with the psychodrama section. Rather the two are mutually beneficial. Psychodramatists, students and trainees are entitled to join the IPN. It is free apart from what it costs to be on the Internet. Details for contacts and information are included at the end of this letter.
As well as my involvement in the organisation of the 5th PRRC for 2001, I am planning to go to Portugal to attend the Iberoamerican Conference. I have had an invitation to spend some time in Portugal in April and I look forward to this. I also plan to attend the conference in Montenegro and to visit Bulgaria and Turkey in September 2001. Deniz Altinay, from the Istanbul Psychodrama Institute has invited me to make a workshop in Istanbul and I have accepted. My aim with this visit is to also work to assist in the development of the IAGP Congress in Turkey in 2003. These events give me the opportunity to participate in the life of the psychodrama community. I look forward to meeting many of you at the 5th PRRC in Melbourne.
On behalf of the members of the psychodrama section I send our very best wishes to Zerka Moreno for a full recovery and a wonderful Christmas and New Year in her new home.
Let me conclude by sending you my warmest wishes for the coming holiday season. I hope that the New Year brings you satisfaction and delight in your work and life.
With love,
Sue Daniel
Chairperson, Psychodrama Section, IAGP
Email: suedan@netspace.net.au