Main description:

The incredibly rich tapestry of medicine can never be finished. In every generation, new patterns of service develop, as clinical observations and scientific discoveries change diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. But many other forces affect the ancient profession of medicine: Politics, economics, art and culture, and the expectations made possible in an era of instant communications are but a few of the potent factors rarely considered in the traditional medical school curriculum. The Distinguished International Lecture Series at The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland offered an innovative emphasis on the interrelationships of health, foreign policy, and the arts, of mutual lessons learned when diplomats and statesmen, poets, painters, and actors shared their insights, and observed how much they have gained from contact with the healing arts. This book presents the reflections of a remarkable group of world leaders who discuss their own efforts for world peace and reconciliation, efforts that demonstrate the common ground we all seek, regardless of the disciplines and professions that normally identify us. It is a book where artificial barriers are broken, and new horizons emerge.

Contents:

Kevin M. Cahill, M.D. Introduction Patrick Broe, President, RCSI Foreword Barry O'Donnell Former President, RCSI Foreword to the 1st Edition Bernard Kouchner Patients Without Borders Kevin M. Cahill, M.D. A Bud of Thought That Wants to Be a Rose Health and Foreign Policy Louis Le Brocquy The Human Head: Notes on Painting and Awareness Seamus Heaney The Whole Thing: On The Good Of Poetry Garret FitzGerald The Unique Instability of Irish Demography Vanessa Redgrave Keeping A Promise To My Albanian Friends Oliver Sacks Neurology and the Soul Boutros Boutros-Ghali Peacekeeping in the Post Cold War Era John Hume Peace and the Healing Process Jan Eliasson A World in Turmoil: The Imperative of Prevention David Owen Preventive Diplomacy: The Therapeutics of Mediation Aengus Finucane The Changing Roles of Voluntary Organizations Cyrus R. Vance Meeting the Challenges of the New Millennium