News from the International Federation of Environmental Health. (NEHA News).

Environmental health professionals from 24 countries attended the International Federation of Environmental Health's (IFEH's) Seventh World Congress on Environmental Health in San Diego, May 20-24, 2002. The World Congress was held in conjunction with the 51st Annual Educational Symposium of the California Environmental Health Association. The opening ceremonies were dedicated to the memory of Eric W Foskett, the "father" of the federation, who had long planned to attend the Congress but passed away in August 2001. More than 50 exhibitors joined the over 500 attendees in general assemblies, parallel sessions, and social activities during the congress. NEHA is a member organization of the federation, which entitles NEHA members to attend world congresses at reduced rates. Plan ahead to attend the next World Congress in Durban, South Africa, which will be February 23-27, 2004. For details on the congress, contact Francois Nel, National Secretary of the South African Institute of Environmental Health, at <fnell@ mweb.co.za>. The institute's Web site can be found at <http://www.saieh.co.za>.

IFEH's council met in San Diego to discuss and conduct IFEB business, including adoption of the annual budget, and to hear bids for the 2008 World Congress from Canada and Australia. After a spirited process, a majority of the council voted to award the bid to the Australian Institute of Environmental Health and its proposed venue of Brisbane. Laura Studevant, Jim Dingman, Dick Pantages, Nelson Fabian, and Diane Evans represented NEHA at the Council. Diane, who is NEHAs liaison to the council, was installed as IFEH president during the Federation Dinner at the close of the congress. She will hold the post until the 2004 World Congress. During the next two years, Diane will convene the meetings of the council and its board of directors (which consists of the president, the president elect, the honorary secretary, and the honorary treasurer).

An item on the council's agenda in San Diego was of particular interest to NEHA and its representatives. Discussions and a vote took place on the issue of whether organizations other than national environmental health associations could be accepted into full membership in IFEH. NEHA representatives argued strongly that NEHA had joined the federation with the understanding that it would be composed of national associations, and that the requirement should remain. A subsequent vote of the majority at the council meeting reconfirmed the requirement. It was also decided that ways to offer associate members a more direct role in the activities of the federation should be explored.

A new member has joined IFEH. The addition of the Environmental Health Society of Nigeria brings membership in the federation to 32 national environmental health organizations.

Information about the federation is available at the IFEH Web site: <http://wwwifeh.org>. Inquiries also can be sent to NEHA's liaison to the federation, Diane Evans, at <[e-mail]>. Ms. Evans can be reached by phone at [phone].