The Beijing Forum is a major international academic event, organised annually by Peking University (they still use their historic name) along with Beijing municipality. Each year, different departments across the university propose ideas for panels on innovative topics in science and the humanities. The overall theme for the Forum in 2024 was “The harmony of civilisations and the prosperity of all.” One of the thirteen topics chosen for a day-long conference panel with speakers from around the world was “The Humanities in Promoting Health for All.” The day was opened by Professor Guo Liping, Dean of the university’s School of Health Humanities.
Three speakers from the UK gave presentations: Professor Neil Vickers from the Centre for Humanities and Health at Kings College London, Professor Angela Woods, director of the Institute for Health Humanities at Durham University, and Dr John Launer from the Association of Narrative Practice in Healthcare, who had the honour of giving the opening lecture. Assisted by his wife Lee Wax, herself an accredited CIC facilitator, he led a workshop the following day attended by around 50 doctors, health professionals and humanities teachers.
There is now tremendous interest in China in the application of narrative ideas and skills in clinical encounters, particularly in helping to address challenging interactions between patients and health professions working under great pressure.
We all formed the impression that medical humanities teachers in China have both the enthusiasm and resources to transmit narrative practice, adapted for the Chinese cultural context, at great speed. John’s book “Narrative-Based Practice in Health and Social Care: Conversations Inviting Change” is being translated into Chinese, we have also facilitated a connection with our colleagues in Japan who are promoting CIC there, and we look forward to an exciting future in collaboration with Peking University.