President J.R. Jayewardene
President of Sri Lanka (1977 - 1989)
Honorary Patron of Medicina Alternativa (Ala Ata 1962)
Affiliated to "The Open International University"

MESSAGE TO THE DELEGATES OF THE WORLD CONGRESS

It is with sincere pleasure that I send this message to the delegates attending the 24th World Congress of Natural Medicines.

Politics and medicine have the common ethical base of caring for people. As the President of Sri Lanka, I realized that as medicine became more aware of the effects of environmental stresses on human health, I had a political responsibility to recognize the indigenous medical practices that existed in Sri Lanka from the dawn of our history. I therefore, took the unique step of appointing the first minister of Indigenous Medicines in my government and entrusted him with the important task of integrating natural and traditional medicines with orthodox scientific medicines. This was in
keeping with the Alma-Ata Declaration in 1962 of "Health for All by the year 2000 A.D.", Using all available modalities of therapy. At the Alam-Ata convention the formation of The Open International University had world-wide impact in giving legal recognition to complementary forms of Medicine, particularly their teaching and certification. It is also my firm belief that natural medicines do not exclude conventional and orthodox medical therapies. The futuristic Medicine should teach man to respect the environment, adjust his lifestyle, regulate the diet and live in
mental, emotional and physical harmony with his external Environment. When The Esmond Wickremasinghe Open International University for Complementary Medicines sought to establish its clinical training programs in Sri Lanka, it was indeed a pleasure for me to give it my approval. Its establishment in Sri Lanka in March 1988 is a worthy tribute to a great pioneer.
I lie Late Esmond Wickremasinghe's wisdom, foresight and sincerity were centered in this endeavors to unify all political and social wisdom for a better Sri lanka indeed, for a better world.
Sri Lanka is justly proud to host this internationally recognized institution where clinicians, surgeons, researchers and scientists from all over the world come to study and gain accreditation in the many forms of natural and traditional healing arts. It was my pleasure to preside at the first
international convocation of certificates at navarangahala. Later, I agreed to be the Honorary Patron of this University, and also, authorized a trust created from private funds to defray the expenses of running this Institution as a charity, without government funding. I am sure that delegates from all parts of the world attending this International Congress hosted by The Open International University will be discussing the futuristic vision of a new reality where man exists in harmony with the Universe. Health and disease lie long a continuum and are not polar opposites. Your fundamental task, therefore, is to nurture, encourage and sustain the caring compassion and sensitivity that is the essential backdrop for an effective cure. What is more, as healers, the futuristic medicines demand you to harness to innate capacity of the "dis-eased" individual to help restore the state of balance and harmony of his own body with the least invasive methods, rather than swallowing mega doses of medicines.
Remember, all medicines were made by man, man himself is imperfect and, therefore, all medicines are imperfect.  There is allopathy , homoeopathy, osteopathy etc., But there is nothing like sympathy!
I look forward to be informed of the results of your deliberations at this Congress. May you all have a successful congress and a enjoyable stay in Our Country.

Finally, I take this opportunity to remind you what one of the greatest physicians of all time has stated:

"It is more Important to know what sort of person has a disease, than to know, what sort of disease a person has" Hippocrates 460-677 B.C.

President J.R. Jayewardene
HONORARY PATRON OF MEDICINA ALTERNATIVA (Alma Ata 1962)
affiliated to The Open International University, Colombo