Over 1,000 Doctors took part in the 1st Euro-Arab Medical Conference held at the National University Hospital in Damascus.
The event is organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in cooperation with the Union of Syrian Doctors and Pharmacists in France, the Union of Arab Doctors and Pharmacists in Austria, and the Euro-Arab Medical Association.
Attendees included the Assistant Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic for Cabinet Affairs, Engineer Ali Kaddah; the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Marwan al-Halabi; and the Minister of Religious Endowments, Mohammad Abu al-Kheir Shukri.
In his speech at the conference, Minister Marwan al-Halabi described the event as a scientific forum bringing together over 1,000 doctors and featuring more than 200 lectures and medical workshops across university hospitals.
Al-Halabi stressed the strategic importance of the academic medical sector in the ministry’s plans, noting that Arab-European cooperation opens broad horizons for exchanging expertise, developing curricula, and establishing research partnerships that elevate academic medicine in Syria and the region.
He added that workshops will be held in all university and Health Ministry hospitals to enhance practical training, conduct specialized surgeries, and train on diagnostic tools such as ultrasound and laparoscopic surgery.
In his address, Minister Shukri described the event as a testament to the loyalty of expatriate Syrian doctors to their homeland. He affirmed that the ministry’s vision embraces all beneficial sciences, not just religious studies, as they serve humanity and alleviate suffering, thus carrying profound spiritual and ethical value.
Speaking to SANA, conference president and head of the Union of Syrian Doctors and Pharmacists in France, Dr. Abdul Moneim Hamid, stated that the conference aims to strengthen scientific and medical cooperation between Syrian doctors in Europe and their counterparts in Syria through the exchange and transfer of expertise.
For his part,Dr. Tamam Kilani, president of the Euro-Arab Medical Association and head of the Union of Arab Doctors and Pharmacists in Austria, said that this is the first conference held after liberation and features broad participation from Arab doctors residing in Europe, particularly France and Austria.
He described the Association as a bridge between Europe and Syria, aiming to transfer modern medical knowledge and technologies from European centers to Syrian healthcare institutions.
On the sidelines of the conference, minister al-Halabi inaugurated an exhibition showcasing medical equipment, pharmaceutical products, and hospital supplies, with 12 companies presenting their offerings.
The opening ceremony featured two promotional videos: one highlighting the formation of the Union of Syrian Doctors and Pharmacists in France, and another paying tribute to the martyr doctors who lost their lives due to shelling by the former regime during the Syrian revolution.
MHD Ibrahim
