SECSECroatia2016 oc.secse2016@gmail.com

Dear SCORA family,

On behalf of CroMSIC, I would like to invite you to the fourth Southern European Cooperation on

Sexual Education (SECSE) which is going to take place from the 16th to the 20th of September in Poreč, a

small town in the northern part of the Croatian coast.

SECSE is a great project that was created four years ago, and we are very honored by the trust given to us to

continue the tradition and keep the dream alive.

In February, Croatia was chosen to host the fourth SECSE. To make it the best one yet, we have formed a hard

working OC right away that has in only couple of months put together an amazing program.

This conference is an event where you will meet new people, new culture and hopefully learn all about methods

used in other South European countries. For this year , the theme event we have chosen is Maternal Health as

one of the great issues all over the globe. We hope to cover as much themes that are included in it.

We would like to show you as much beautiful things our country has to offer as we can in such a short period of

time and to make you fall in love with Croatia and SCORA at least as much as we have.

In front of you is a booklet that should give you a sneak peek of all the things we have prepared for you, but no

words or pictures can replace the experience itself so hurry up and fill out your application!

Best wishes,

Kristina Vorkapić Head of OC and NORA of CroMSIC

CroMSIC (Croatian Medical Students' International Committee) is a non-governmental

and non-profitable association of medical students in the Republic of Croatia. Since 1992, it is a member

of IFMSA – International Federation of Medical Students’ Association.

In Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, there were 14 medical schools that made up

the national student association for international activity and exchange of medical students called

YuMSEIC (eng. Yugoslavian Medical Students' International Exchange Committee).

In early 1991, the Medical Faculty of the Slovenia and Croatia had exited the membership of this

organization. It was the start of international association of Croatian medical students who will in the

coming years become known as CroMSIC.

CroMSIC was initially active in only two medical schools - in Zagreb and Rijeka, as the

Split and Osijek medical curriculum were still part of medical school in Zagreb in the early 90s. The first

elected president of the association was Marin Paić, who by then was a representative of the Rijeka School

of Medicine in YuMSEIC-in.

Since its inception, CroMSIC has been drawing attention of medical students and broader

public with its projects, not only for international student exchanges but also for increasing citizens’

awareness about prevention and treatment for some of the most common diseases in todays world.

With the support of volunteers and enthusiasts, the association invests efforts in

advancing our student and broader community. By involving themselves in these projects, students become

part of a community that gathers medical students all around the world and they gain the opportunity to go

on international exchanges, which helps them gain experience for their future professional careers. Projects

for the broader public are meant to inform them about the importance of prevention and timely treatment.

In all these projects we are very successful and our work has been acknowledged all over the world.

Croatia is a country that offers a unique combination of all the things people love: breathtaking

natural beauty, great swimming, summertime sun, oodles of history, interesting architecture, incredible wine,

delicious seafood… and it goes on. Croatians are one of the friendliest, most hospitable people you could hope to

meet.

Croatia occupies the largest area of the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea which, as a part of the

Mediterranean Sea, penetrates deep into the European continent. The narrow Dinara Mountain Range separates

the country’s Mediterranean region from its central European continental section, which spans from the easterly

edges of the Alps in the north west to the shores of the Danube in the East, encompassing the southern part of the

fertile Pannonian lowlands.

Located on the west coast of the biggest Croatian peninsula Istria, Poreč, along with the

neighbouring Rovinj, is the most visited tourist destination in Croatia. So what brings thousands of people to Poreč

every year? Well, the answer is not SECSE! Poreč is almost 2,000 years old and it has a major and well known

landmark – 6th century Euphrasian basilica which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. On the city

plan you can easily see the ancient Roman Castrum structure, with the two main streets Cardo Maximus and

Decumanus still in their original form as well as the Forum, located in the centre. Poreč's old heritage can be seen in

the historical town centre, in museums and galleries hosted in houses and palaces, many of them still remaining

private homes as they have been for centuries. The whole old city centre is a living cultural monument. The facades of

numerous city palaces will unveil the history behind their construction through various stylistic and historical

periods. In numerous records and literature Poreč is called a city of mosaics.

Despite old Roman sites, Poreč is definitely not

stuck in the past. It is a modern city with a prosperous nightlife,

especially in the summertime when the city is full of young people

seeking fun and adventure. The coast of Istria is known for its

mild climate and warm sea. There is more than 2,400 hours of sun

in a year, an average of more than 10 sunny hours a day during the

summer days! Near Poreč, you can visit Baredine cave which is a

real treasure of stalactites and stalagmites, underground

sculptures created by patient and long lasting work of water. If

you are more into food and wines (and we don't judge you), the

Istria County is a perfect place for you. The local dishes of Istrian

cuisine offers, which simply must be tasted, are based on pasta,

meat or fish and are accompanied by desserts such as round

"fritule" (donuts), crunchy "kroštule" and "cukerančići" (types of

cookies). Other than gastronomic delicacies, Istria also offers

excellent wines from the ever-present Malvazija, to red wines such

as Teran and Refošk and dessert wines such as Muškat. We will let

you explore other treasures of Poreč and Istria by yourself because

there is so much to be seen. We look forward to seeing you in

Poreč!

Although it’s a town with a population of

just over 15,000, the citizens of Poreč

didn’t miss the chance to celebrate

IDAHOT in 2014. This rainbow-coloured

crossing appeared in the town centre in

May 2014.

Registration process will begin for early registrations on 16th of May until 29th of May, and for

the late registration from 30th of May until 12th of June.

The registration fee:

Early registrations – 150 €

Late registrations – 170€

This includes 5 days (4 nights), 3 meals per day in hotel restaurant and use of conference room.

There will be 50 – 60 attendees, with 4 delegates per NMO (12 NMO countries), and 1 place per NECSE NMO on the late

registration, as well as 2 places for HuMSIRC (Hungary).

If there are stil unoccupied spots after this period, the remaining ones will be first given to other SECSE NMOs on the first

come-first serve basis.

The following South European countries are eligible to send delegates to SECSE2016:

The registration link can be found below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1X0IPqcr5Z-EnMa9qFeuSihalfq5bSrU6ANhKqj8SdlY/viewform

For more information you can visit and like our Facebook page SECSE Croatia 2016:

https://www.facebook.com/SECSECroatia2016/?fref=ts

The registration process will take a place as follows:

1. Interested applicants fill in the online form

2. The applicants are compared to information from verified national selection by the NMOs NORAs

3. Confirmatory e-mail is sent from the OC containing information on payment details and the Transport form

4. Once the payment is successful and the transport formi s filled in the applicants will recieve the final confimation e-mail to bring to SECSE

For more information feel free to contact: oc.secse2016.@gmail.com

AECS (Catalonia)

AMBS (Bulgaria)

ANEMF (France)

CroMSIC (Croatia)

HelMSIC (Greece)

IFMSA – Serbia (Serbia)

IFMSA – Spain (Spain)

MMSA (Malta)

PorMSIC (Portugal)

SISM (Italy)

SloMSIC (Slovenia)

TurkMSIC (Turkey)

Valamar Diamant Hotel**** is only a 10 minute stroll away from the historic centre of Poreč. Surrounded by

pine forests and pristine beaches, it offers the right balance of recreation, relaxation and exceptional buffet dining,

including dietary meals. It features a sports hall, outdoor pool, heated indoor pool and a wellness and beauty centre.

With its conference rooms and nearby beaches Diamant Hotel will be perfect for SECSE 2016 sessions and social

program.

Good educational methods are the most important quality of a Peer Educator because he has

to be able to get through to his listeners, to transfer his knowledge in a way that finds understanding, especially

when it comes to topics such as gender equality and sexual identity, AIDS, abortion, teen pregnancy and

sexuality in general. To surpass these taboos, we must help each other improve our methods, expand our

knowledge and gain skills necessary to transfer them further on amongst our fellow citizens as Peer Educators.

All of the NMOs that are going to participate in the SECSE should know that it is desirable, if not necessary, that

they both facilitate and attend sessions facilitated by other NMOs. These sessions are the main event of our

gathering, as they allow us to exchange experiences, the good ones as much as the bad ones, because both shape

our methods for the better. The sessions should last from 30 to 60 minutes. Keep in mind to prepare for them as

much as you expect your fellow NMOs to do. During a session the facilitators demonstrate or tell us something

about a method they find most successful or interesting and then we argue on pros and cons for each method. In

the end we will be able to combine them and create completely new ones to give our work a bit of freshness. To

give these sessions even more diversity, our NECSE observers/participants will also be joining us during them.

There are so many current problems regarding sexual and reproduction health in our world

that need our attention. There are different issues in different parts of our beautiful planet. Sexual and

reproductive health means so many things nowadays and on different parts of the world different problems

are more urgent to be solved. While some countries have huge problem with HIV infection, the others where

infection is not so numerous can’t cope with stigma, while there are places were women rights are non-

existent there are places where bigger problem is discrimination of minority groups. Although same problems

exist everywhere, somewhere some are more urgent then the others, but there is one issue that is, and should

be as equally important in the whole world and that is maternity health.

Health of the women and a newborn child should concern everyone no matter where are

they from. Maternity health includes many issues and some of these are family planning, access to prenatal

care and ending stigma and discrimination toward abortion. Access to safe abortion is also a big part of

maternal health because it is a woman’s human right to have full autonomy over decisions relating to when

and how many children to have.

Lately there are lots of talks about safe abortion all around the world. While there are

countries where it is completely legal there are others where it is still illegal except in some cases where

health of a mother is in jeopardy. Although in Croatia abortion is legal, lately there have been lots of talks

about whether that should change. All around world there are tries to put old-fashioned opinions behind us

but it is a long term process. Together we need to move forward to more tolerant world.

Another problem we all are facing is raising number of teen pregnancies and all the

problems and consequences they bring with themselves. Teen pregnancy has its risks for mother’s health

since their bodies are often not ready for such state. That teenage girls are often stigmatized by society they

are in, they are often left on their own since neither child’s father, and sometimes even their own families

don't want to have to deal with the problem. Also those girls often have STI's as a result of practicing unsafe

sex, and that just add up to all other problems.

Safe Motherhood is one of the biggest global concerns nowadays and there are many

obstacles to achieving the ideal result of a full-term pregnancy without unnecessary interventions, the

delivery of a healthy baby, and a healthy postpartum period in a positive environment that supports the

physical and emotional needs of the mother, baby, and family. In 2015 and 2016 the geographical range of

Zika virus has steadily increased, with 26 countries and territories in the Americas now reporting

autochthonous transmission of the virus. Brazilian national authorities estimate that up to a 1.5 million cases

of Zika virus infection have occurred since the outbreak began. As the fear of infection spreads it is important

to inform and guide the public and especially pregnant women with a history of travel to areas with ongoing

Zika virus transmission.

Those are only some of the issues that concerns maternity health. Because of the great

importance in the world that we're living in we choose Maternity Health as a theme for SECSE 2016.

We will try to address the following topics, delivered by professional external speakers:

• Reproductive Health of Adolescents

• Adolescent Sexuality and Sexual Behaviour

• Safe abortion

• Pregnancy and Abortion in teenage girls

• Contraception and abuse of the morning-after pill

• Zika virus

Our provisional list of speakers includes:

1. Neda Smiljan Severinski, MD, PhD (Clinical hospital centre Rijeka, Gynecologist)

2. Goran Arbanas, MD, PhD (General Hospital Karlovac, Psychiatrist)

3. Saskia van Bergen, Erasmus University of Rotterdam; IFMSA-NL

When talking about Croatia, nobody forgets to mention its

beautiful sandy and stony beaches with a breathtaking view of a

clear blue sea, amazing old cities and Mediterranean lifestyle and

cuisine. You certainly can’t imagine it if you haven’t seen and

experienced it; and trust us, it is all true and very worth it. When

it comes to partying, Croatia is also very famous for its rich

nightlife. We will do our best to provide you with the best parties,

great food and, of course, unforgettable memories.

17/9 After dinner, spend some quality time either sightseeing and

exploring the beautiful city of Poreč at sunset, or enjoying its

beautiful beaches and the sea. Why? You’ll need time to charge

your batteries for what comes next. Of course – it’s party central!

18/9 Following a great night, we will experience the colorful old

town of Poreč together. This town is placed on the western coast

of the Istrian peninsula, in Istria County. Its major landmark is

the 6th century Euphrasian Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage

Site. Poreč is almost 2,000 years old, but fortunately, its clubs

and bars are a bit younger. In the evening we will take you there

and thus introduce you to its vivid nightlife!

19/9 After all the sightseeing and partying comes time to relax a bit. The plan is to go swimming and sunbathing

together. If you are not that big of a fan of the sun and the sea, you can simply rest at the beach beneath the pines, with

a cold drink in your hand. Afterwards we will throw our final party - NFDP-National food and drinks party. Feel free to

bring your domestic drinks and food! We can promise you you will never forget Rakija and our fabulous cousine.

Istria is not only famous for its picturesque nature and ancient historical sites, it is also largely famous for its nightlife.

It has a bunch of nightclubs, bars and pubs so it will surely provide you with an unforgettable experience. Istra surely

offers many things to do and see, but it would not be fun if we told you everything, would it? Come and see!

The closest airports to Poreč are Pula and Rijeka Airport, as well as the biggest Croatian airport located in

Zagreb. If you think about coming from the neighbouring countries Italy and Slovenia, the closest airports may

be those in Trieste (IT) and Ljubljana (SLO).

From each of those airports you should take a bus from the airport to the main bus station in the cities that you

arrive in and then a direct line to Poreč. Poreč is connected with Pula, Rijeka and Zagreb and there are a few

direct lines each day.

Before you book a flight we reccommend you check the bus lines from the cities where your flight arrives and to

schedule the flight in accordance with the bus departure times as closely as possible due to of the lack of buses

each day from some of the cities. Detailed information on bus lines from all nearby cities as well as directions

from the Poreč bus station to the hotel will be provided in due time on our Facebook page @ SECSECroatia2016.

If you have any questions regarding to

your trip to Poreč you can send your

inquiries to the following e-mail:

lora.rijeka@cromsic.hr

or

oc.secse2016@gmail.com

We will gladly help you with any

problems you might have.

The magnitude of the impact IFMSA has on a global level is something to deeply admire. The

hunger to learn, to expand our horizons, to better ourselves as human beings and, most importantly, to have a

positive influence on our communities – those are some of the major driving forces behind our work as medical

students and members of IFMSA. That is why it is our absolute pleasure to host the Fourth South European

Cooperation on Sexual Education in our lovely town of Poreč.

Maternal health issues are still omnipresent in society and numerous struggles are presented

every day. Futherrmore, in many places around the world, the battle to ensure safe motherhood for all women is still

ongoing and it is our duty as medical students and members of the health community to step in and do our best to

make a positive change. With all that in mind, the main focus of this event will be on these aforementioned issues –

to share experiences and knowledge amongst ourselves to create a community of well-rounded individuals who can

make a change for the better in the world.

CroMSIC is a relatively small NMO. Our four local committees, however, share an incredible

amount of enthusiasm, motivation, passion and ambition. I am sure you will recognize those qualities in the

Organizing Committee of this event, as we have gathered a wonderful group that will give its all to make this SECSE

an event not to be forgotten - one you will leave full of new memories, experiences as well as with a wealth of new

knowledge.

With that being said, I would like to officially extend my invitation for this amazing event, I look

forward to seeing you all and I hope you will have an absolutely wonderful time in Croatia!

Ivan Jakopčić,

CroMSIC President