The 5th International Brain HSP Olympiad

The past month has been busy with preparations for the 5th International Brain HSP Olympiad held at the United Nations and the Brain Art Festival held at Radio City Music Hall.

Here are some pictures from the 5th International Brain HSP Olympiad. 80 participants (children and adults) from the U.S. and Korea competed in three events which demonstrate the potential of the brain, testing sensory-motor functions, visual-spatial memory, and higher cognitive functions.







Speakers included Prof. Murali Doraiswamy, Director of the Mental Fitness Lab at the Duke University Medical Center and co-author of the Alzheimer's Action Plan and Ilchi Lee, President of the Korea Insitute of Brain Science, an NGO in consultative status with the UN's ECOSOC.





Observers included parents, educators, and representatives from the New York City Principals' Association, Non-governmental organizations, UN Agencies, and Permanent Missions to the United Nations.

An Update on Annette's Story

Do you remember Annette's story? Here's a video about how she has improved over the last year:

http://www.brainwavevibration.com/success-Stories/260/Annette/Annette-s-Rett-Syndrome-Miracle-Continued/

The Power of Thinking--The Power of BrainWaves

Researchers in Japan have shown how people who have experienced paralysis, can operate a computer or a wheelchair by regulating their own brainwaves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzJiTX03_Hw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VPY1d2t_FE

Come to the Brain Art Festival!

Announcing the:

BRAIN ART FESTIVAL
Radio City Music Hall, New York City
6:00 pm, Aug 15, 2009

Discover the creative potential of the brain...
through drumming, dance, song, and movement!

Hosted by the International Brain Education Association (IBREA)

For tickets and more information:

www.brainartfestival.com

Brain Education at the United Nations in Geneva

On July 6th, 2009, the Korea Institute of Brain Science (KIBS) and the International Brain Education Association (IBREA) hosted a side-event at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) High Level Segment at the United Nations in Geneva.

ECOSOC meets yearly in Geneva to discuss issues and to set policies and directions for the following year. This year's focus was on Global Public Health.

The side event hosted by KIBS and IBREA titled "Promoting Mental Health in the Context of Global Public Health" was attended by representatives from the United Nations, from Permanent Missions, and from global public health organizations.

Featured speakers included Mr. Liberato Bautista, President of the Conference of NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC, who spoke about the importance of individual change as a way to promote public change; Dr. Torkel Klingberg, Cognitive Neuroscientist from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden who talked about ADHD and working memory and how brain training can positively influence brain functioning, and Mr. Ilchi Lee, President of KIBS and IBREA, who spoke about the importance of the development of human potential through the brain as the key to overall development.

UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, also stopped by the conference room to learn more about the recent and planned activities of KIBS and IBREA in support of health, education, and human development at the United Nations and around the world.

Brain Education was suggested as a cost-effective method to help improve physical and mental health and well-being and to contribute to human development in countries around the world. In follow-up to the event, many country and organizational representatives and UN agency officials have expressed interest in the Brain Education program and partnering with IBREA.

One important follow-up to the UN ECOSOC side event will also be the 1st Brain Alliance Initiative meeting, which will be held at the Brain Art Festival sponsored by IBREA in New York on August 15th 2009. The Brain Alliance Initiative is a group of individuals and organizations from the UN community, educators, health professionals, and scientists who are interested in promoting awareness about the importance of the brain as a tool for creating health, well-being, and developing potential on the United Nations agenda.

Korea Institute of Brain Science Statement to UN Secretary General

In preparation for the 2009 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Substantive Session in Geneva July 6-31, 2009, The Korea Institute of Brain Science (KIBS), an NGO in consultative status with ECOSOC has submitted a statement to the United Nations Secretary General.

The statement is on the provisional agenda for ECOSOC's Annual Ministerial Review, which will focus on: implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to global public health.

You can find the statement by going to:

http://documents.un.org/mother.asp

and entering your language of choice.

Brain Training Goes Online

On June 11-12, as representatives from IBREA, my colleague and I attended the 5th Annual Games for Health conference in Boston. This conference explores how game technologies and talent can contribute to breakthroughs in health & healthcare.

Game-based solutions are already providing compelling means to increase physical activity, advance personal health, improve hospital operations, train healthcare providers, and advocate important healthcare information.

This year, the conference included a Cognitive Health track. Developers, researchers, and retailers of Brain Fitness on-line training programs were on hand to share their experience in this growing field.

Conference participants heard about an innovative partnership between Allstate insurance and PositScience, a cognitive training company, to provide online cognitive training for safer driving; about a new retail store in the Chicago area selling brain products; about online cognitive training options for ADHD, Schizophrenia, and Multiple Sclerosis; and about current and planned research on online brain fitness programs and the effects of these programs in different populations.


This community recognizes the importance of the brain and based on research, sees the possibilities and importance of training the brain in order to improve health and well-being. They also recognize the importance of including on-line and mobile technology platforms as options for accessing information and training about the brain.

Brain Education programs have traditionally been offered in community settings. Now, people who are unable to attend Brain Education training programs because there may not be a physical location in their community or in their country, will be able to access training online.

IBREA will also be adding cognitive, emotional, and physical health brain-related assessments and training and certification courses for Brain Management Consultants on-line. Stay tuned for more soon!