International Ayurveda Congress Leiden 2018

International Ayurveda Congress

Traditional Natural Remedies from India and Europe

Exploring a 340-Year Relationship between Netherlands and India

1 – 2 September 2018, Leiden, The Netherlands

ayush.gov.in

www.indianembassy.nl

The International Maharishi AyurVeda Foundation, The Netherlands; the All India Ayurvedic Congress, New Delhi; and the International Academy of Ayurveda, Pune invited to the International Ayurveda Congress on Traditional Natural Remedies from India and Europe held on 1 and 2 September 2018 at Leiden, The Netherlands.

This Congress took its inspiration from an epic 17th century Dutch treatise on medicinal plants of the Western Ghats of South India called Hortus Malabaricus. The inspiration is to connect India, The Netherlands, and Europe through their rich botanical heritage and, at the same time, present the therapeutic potential of plants and the natural approaches to health available in Ayurveda and in traditional remedies from Europe. During the congress Ayurvedic scholars from different countries presented the scientific approach of Ayurveda as a prevention-oriented healthcare system.

The Congress was held in the beautiful setting of the historical town Leiden having centuries old scenic Dutch water canals, one of Europe’s oldest botanical garden and a major Dutch University and library. As the congress venue one of the main conference centres cum hotels in Leiden, Holiday Inn Leiden, was chosen, a four-star hotel equipped with International conference facilities and dignified halls for the purpose, including dining and exhibition space.

View / Download the Press Release

Inaugural Address by Tony Nader, MD, PhD, MARR – Patron of the Congress

Hortus Malabaricus

The Hortus Malabaricus (Garden of Malabar) was compiled over a period of nearly 30 years and published, originally in Latin, in Amsterdam between 1678 and 1693 in 12 volumes. This treatise gives a detailed account of flora of Malabar region in South India, including copper plate engravings and detailed descriptions of 742 plants. This work was conceived by Hendrik van Rheede, Governor of Dutch Malabar, in collaboration with a team of nearly a hundred experts including Ranga Bhat, Vinayaka Pandit, Appu Bhat and Itti Achuden.

Published at around the same time, in 1697, Horti Medici Amstelodamensis Rariorum (Medicinal garden of Amsterdam), provides a comprehensive treatise of medicinal plants from The Netherlands and Europe, as well as those areas which had witnessed the arrival of the Dutch East and West India Companies.

Hortus Hedici Amstelodamensis

Brahmachari Girish Momaya speaks about the genesis of the Congress

On the foundation of scientific research, we are rebuilding the 340-year-old golden bridge of herbal medicines linking India with Europe.

Programme outline

Friday 31 August 2018 (Arrival day):

18:00 – Welcome reception and registration

Saturday 1 September 2018:

08:00 - 08:45 – Registration

09:00 - 11:00 – Inauguration and opening ceremony
Guests of honour the Minister of AYUSH, Government of India, H.E. Shripad Naik; the Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands H.E. Venu Rajamony; and prominent speakers.

11:00 - 12:20 – Plenary Session: Unearthing the Botanical Treasure of Dutch and Indian Golden Age: The Hortus Malabaricus (Garden of Malabar)

Presentations by:

Prof Dr Pieter Baas, awarded a national honour as a Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2005. Former director, National Herbarium of the Netherlands. Research associate, Naturalis Bio Diversity Centre: 'Hortus Malabaricus as a Monument of Traditional Knowledge and Innovative Botany'.
Prof Dr A G Menon, Professor of South Asian Studies, Leiden University, Researcher on Hortus Malabaricus: 'Herbalization of a Conflict: Dutch East India Company, Governor Van Reede tot Drakestein and Hortus Malabaricus'.
Dr Annamma Spudich, Scholar in residence, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India: 'Hortus Indicus Malabaricus: Indian Botanical Medical Knowledge in 17th Century Europe'.
Dr Gerda A. van Uffelen, Head of collection management, Hortus Botanicus, Leiden: 'Hortus Botanicus Leiden: Over 400 Years of Plant Collections'.

12:20 - 12:40 – Panel Discussion followed by group picture

12:40 - 13:30 – Lunch

13:20 - 14:50 – Plenary Session: Ayurveda – Therapeutic Potential and Natural Approaches to Health

14:50 - 15:00 – Tea break

15:00 - 16:40 – Plenary Session: Ayurveda – Therapeutic Potential and Natural Approaches to Health

16:40 - 16:50 – Tea break

16:50 - 18:20 – Plenary Session: Ayurveda – Therapeutic Potential and Natural Approaches to Health

CME Credit Points: Artsen Vereniging Integrale Geneeeskunde (AVIG) has granted 13 accreditation-points: 10 points for naturopathy and 3 points for practice oriented education.
Algemene Nederlandse Vereniging voor Ayurvedische Geneeskunde (ANVAG) has granted 4 points for Ayurveda education.

18:20 - 19:00 – Dinner

19:00 – Leiden Canal Cruise – Sailing through the beautiful city of Leiden on a boat trip, one experiences the very rich culture of the city: many canal-side monuments, museums and the lively center of Leiden. For instance, you will sail pass Weddesteeg, the street in which Rembrandt was born, as well as Hortus Botanicus gardens and the University of Leiden, the oldest gardens and oldest university in the Netherlands.

Sunday 2 September 2018:

9:00 - 10:30 – Plenary Session: Ayurveda – Therapeutic Potential and Natural Approaches to Health

10:30 - 12:00 – Parallel Sessions: Ayurveda – Preventive and Therapeutic Approaches to Natural Healthcare (10 speakers in 2 halls)

12:00 - 13:00 – Lunch

13:00 - 15:00 – Parallel Sessions: Ayurveda – Preventive and Therapeutic Approaches to Natural Healthcare (21 speakers in 3 halls)

15:00 – 17:30 – Visits to:

Hortus Botanicus Garden, Leiden: The Hortus Botanicus Leiden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in Western Europe. Founded in 1590 and expanded in the centuries afterwards, the Hortus is the green heart of Leiden. Collecting, nursing and studying for four centuries has produced a beautiful garden with a variety of alien, unknown crops. The special gardens and greenhouses, including the collection of Hortus Malabaricus species, the Japanese garden and the Victoria greenhouse, are worth a visit.

Leiden University Library: Visiting the treasure treatise of Hortus Malabaricus and the botanical heritage of the Dutch Golden Age represented by herbarium collections, books and botanical drawings in the Special Collections of the Artis library, Leiden University library and Naturalis treasure room.

18:00 - 19:00 – Dinner

20:00 - 21:30 – Documentary Films Premier: 'Ayurveda Unveiled' by Gita Desai and 'Spice Route' by Dr. Sajin Philip

Monday 3 September 2018:

9:30 - 13:30 – Seminar on India - Netherlands Collaboration in Healthcare Including Ayurveda
Organized by the Embassy of India in the Netherlands, the seminar will include presentations by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, and the Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands H.E. Venu Rajamony. Dutch government healthcare officials, medical professionals, business and other stakeholders will come together to discuss opportunities in modern and traditional systems of medicine.
Session includes vegetarian buffet lunch.

After Lunch – Sightseeing tour to Delft, Den Haag and Amsterdam for Vaidyas on Congress Extension programme. This option is also available to the Vaidyas just attending the Congress. Visit 'Sightseeing' for details.

Some of the 794 copper plate engravings from Hortus Malabaricus

View/Download the Congress Guide

Public Talks and Health Fair

Sunday 2 September

Natural Health Care for Everyone

A full programme of presentations and exhibitions on Ayurveda and its many
applications to common health concerns

On 2 September, the Congress is hosting for the public an Exhibition on the Hortus Malabaricus, a Health Fair, and Public Talks on natural health care. The Hortus Malabaricus Exhibition and the Health Fair are included in the price of admission (EUR 15.-).

Public Talks: 15:00 – 17:00 – Experts in Ayurveda, the timeless science of life, will share simple practical health secrets that people can use. Topics include: the Ayurvedic approach to anxiety and depression, aroma therapy, digestion and metabolism, the value of a good night’s sleep, and Yoga.
Hortus Malabaricus Exhibition by Dr. Annamma Spudich: 10:00 – 18:00 – Dr Spudich is a researcher in molecular cell biology from Stanford University. She curated a ground-breaking exhibition at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India, on the influences of early Indian scientific knowledge in pre-modern Europe.
Ayurveda Products Exhibition: 10:00 – 18:00 – Leading Ayurvedic Institutions and producers of Ayurvedic products will display herbal products, therapies, skin care and beauty products.
Premiering films: 20:00 – Two in-depth documentary films, 'Ayurveda Unveiled' by Gita Desai and 'Spice Route' by Dr. Sajin Philip.

For more details please click here.

Congress Fee

Special package for Vaidyas from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan:

EUR 500.- Including double room accommodation with breakfast (3 nights stay – arrival 31 August – departure 3 September) at Hotel Holiday Inn Leiden, vegetarian meals, Congress fee, canal boat ride on Saturday evening, sightseeing tours on Sunday, 2 September.

EUR 645.- Participation in all above events with single room accommodation (three nights – arrival 31 August – departure 3 September).

For medical doctors, health practitioners, and Congress participants from all other countries:

EUR 260.- (Congress Fee without accommodation, 1–2 September): The Congress fee includes participation in all events of 1 and 2 September, canal boat ride on Saturday evening, sightseeing tours on Sunday, 2 September. Vegetarian meals can be ordered separately (Lunch EUR 20, Dinner EUR 15).

Accommodation at the venue, Hotel Holiday Inn Leiden:

Single room hotel accommodation per night including breakfast EUR 99.-
Shared room hotel accommodation per night including breakfast EUR 57.- per person.

(plus city tax: EUR 2.50 per person per night)

Congress Extension for Indian Vaidyas: 3 – 8 September

For Vaidyas who would like to go deeper into the knowledge, this extension is offered with seminars on the different modalities of Maharishi AyurVeda including pulse diagnosis, aroma therapy and instruction in the Transcendental Meditation technique. The extension will have an affordable stay with breakfast and meals at a wonderful MERU academy amid beautiful National Park Meinweg in the South of The Netherlands. There will be more sightseeing tours as well.

See details under section ‘Extension’