PHM Public Memo on the PHA5

The International Organizing Committee (IOC) of the Fifth People’s Health Assembly (PHA5) was called for two successive meetings on Saturday, August 12 and Friday, August 18, 2023, to look at two expressions of interest to host PHA5. These were received from the PHM circles in Morocco and Argentina.

The PHA5 IOC considered the two expressions of interests, thorough presentations from representatives of the two PHM circles during the meetings, and a report from the PHM financial committee – and decided:

(1) The Fifth People’s Health Assembly of the People’s Health Movement will be held in Mar del Plata, Argentina from 7-11 April 2024. For taking this decision, the IOC considered the following aspects:

• Movement Building. The political changes in Latin America, in terms of more progressive governments have been lately elected, provides a unique opportunity for strengthening our movement in Latin America and inspire the social movement around the world. The PHM-Latin America coordinating committee emphasized that hosting the Assembly in the region will benefit from the large-scale mobilization process in Latin America since the previous decision of organizing the Assembly in Colombia.
• Finance and Funding. While organizing the PHA5 might carry less cost if held in Morocco, PHM Morocco proposed not to host the Assembly before September 2024. Guided by the PHM financial Committee, the IOC found September 2024 is too late due to previous commitments with sponsors and donors that cannot be changed. On this matter PHM-Argentina provides a comprehensive plan to reduce the cost through collective responsibility, decentralization for PHA5 financing and solidarity funding. 
• Institutional structure. The IOC recognized the concentration of our global secretariat members in Latin America which will provide essential organizational support to the IOC and the local organizers in Argentina. The PHM-Argentina showed significant unity and commitment around hosting the Assembly and readiness to work closely with the IOC and the global secretariat.

(2) Hani Serag will continue to serve as a co-convenor for the PHA5 and Carmen Báez was appointed as a new co-convenor with Jorge Lucero as an alternate and support.

• Hani Serag is a current Co-Chair of the PHM Steering Council. 
• Carmen Báez is a PHM Steering Council and Coordinating Commission member, a PHM Julio Monsalvo subregion circle Co-Coordinator, a PHM Latin America and The Caribbean Circle Coordination member, she is also a Professor at the Superior School of Medicine of the National University of Mar del Plata.
• Jorge Lucero is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of General Medicine of the Province of Buenos Aires, Professor at the Superior School of Medicine of the National University of Mar del Plata, and a proven militant of the circle of PHM-Argentina.

(3) We invite PHM-Morocco to work closely with the organizers of PHA5 and host PHA6 in 2028.
The IOC thanks the PHM circles in Morocco and Argentina and hopes that PHM Morocco will accept the proposal of hosting PHA6 while invited to support the organization of PHA5 in Mar del Plata, Argentina.

Sincerely,
 

Carmen Báez Co-Convenor of PHA5
Hani Serag, Co-Convenor of PHA5
Roman Vega, PHM Global Coordinator