Message from the Treasurer

In the last issue of Epigraph, I provided an overview of the status of the League’s finances, and of the various actions that the Executive Committee has taken not only to ensure the long-term financial viability of our organization, but also to support the many activities which the League is conducting throughout the world in agreement with its Strategic Plan.

A very important role is played by the Regional and Topic-oriented Commissions, and I thank all Chairs and members of Commissions and Task Forces for putting together a great work plan for the present term. Many excellent initiatives have been proposed, and to prioritize them for funding, the Executive Committee has set up a Budget Review Committee composed of Michel Baulac (Chair), Alicia Bogacz, Lim Shih Hui, Judit Jerney, Gary Mathern, Cigdem Ozkara, Cristoph Pachlatko, and John Swann. This group is charged with the challenging task of assessing the value of each project in terms of its relative contribution to the Strategic Plan and adequacy of the requested budget. All Committee members, whom I publicly thank, have done a superb job, and their recommendations have been invaluable in allowing the Treasurer to assemble a comprehensive budget which was approved officially by the Executive Committee on 26 March 2010. Overall, we will be supporting the work of the League’s commissions with a total allocation in excess of U.S. $1.1 million for 2010 alone. All Chairs have been provided with a detailed scheme of each budget item allocated to them, and I am pleased to report that many projects are already in the implementation phase.

A major component of the budget will go toward supporting educational activities both at a regional and a global level. To date, over U.S. $400,000 have been specifically earmarked for educational activities in fiscal year 2010, including courses and training programs. More funds are being allocated to support and expand the distance education program, under the leadership of C T Tan, Chair of the Commission on Education and Walter van Emde Boas, Chair of the Task Force for Distance Education. An additional U.S. $50,000 has been budgeted for activities leading to the creation of an African Commission, which will be charged with organizing a major Pan African educational event at the beginning of 2011.

Finally, close links have also been established with a number of medical associations, humanitarian organizations and governmental agencies in various parts of the world, with the aim of developing partnership projects in areas of common interest. Some of these projects will include fund raising initiatives, particularly for programs aimed at improving education and epilepsy care in emerging countries.

Emilio Perucca
Treasurer