Health practitioners are invited to attend the International Conference on Counselling and Treating People of Colour to be held at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel next month.

Health Minister Patrice Minors spoke about the conference yesterday, saying the first conference, held in the Bahamas in 1986, grew out of the belief that culture played an essential role in health, illness and treatment.

Key speakers who have already confirmed their attendance include former US Surgeon General Dr. Jocelyn Elders, president of the State University of New York and senior pastor of Abyssinian Baptist church Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, fashion designer of culture in fashions from Senegal and Paris Angela DeMeideros, and the deputy director of the Native American Alliance Foundation in Albuquerque, New Mexico H. Chico Gallegos.

Also in attendance will be Karen Freeman-Wilson, a retired judge and CEO from the National Association of Drug Court Professionals in Alexandria, Virginia and Dr. Salman Rawaf, the director of public health at Springfield Hospital in London, UK.

This will be the second time that Bermuda has hosted the event.

The conference, which will deal with issues that concern the entire family from young people to seniors, will have three components:

A free pre-conference session on November 30-December 1 for seniors and their caregivers.

The main conference from December 1-5 with a $295 fee for Bermuda residents and a $395 fee for overseas registrants.

Four post-conference sessions from December 5-7 with various charges for each of the leadership, management and fundraising sessions.

Seniors and their caregivers should contact the National Office of Seniors and the Physically Challenged to register for the two-day pre-conference, ?Dialogues to address health and quality of life issues among the ageing?, Mrs. Minors said.

?This session ... will take place from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 30, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 1, and is open to anyone 55 years and older,? she said.

?This session will provide seniors and their caregivers ... with expertise on topics such as retirement fears, planning for living and producing after productive careers, as well as information on possible debilitating diseases, substance abuse, issues common among caregivers, legal values and family values, sexual activity, gambling and gender issues.

?This year?s conference is also offering two academies for young people; one is open to those aged between 13-17; the other is aimed at college and university students.

?Each of these academies will focus on peer leadership, cultural understanding, racial harmony, HIV/AIDS, violence, alcohol, drug prevention health, mental health and education issues.

?The cost for the younger group is $100 and $150 for the college university students.?

Some 350-500 people are expected to attend the conference. ?I cannot reiterate enough what a valuable opportunity this will be for all our health practitioners to learn about multi-cultural approaches to health, healing and prevention,? Mrs. Minors said.

More information on the conference can be found at the Department of Child and Family Services, 61 Victoria Street, or by telephoning 296-7575.