23rd Federation of Asia Veterinary Associations Congress Was Held in Korea to Promote One Health

Sejong, 15 November 2024 — On 25 October, the 23rd Federation of Asia Veterinary Associations Congress (FAVA Congress 2024) was held in the metropolitan city of Daejeon, South Korea. 

The FAVA was founded in 1978 with the mission of preventing various kinds of diseases and improving the quality of life for people in the Asia-Pacific region through responsible animal care and welfare. Since then, the FAVA Congress has been convened biennially to promote One Health. The congress shares disease treatment methods and medical research outcomes, as well as discuss policies related with veterinary medicine. The FAVA Congress 2024 was attended by approximately 3,500 veterinarians from around 30 countries. 

The Korean Veterinary Medical Association (KVMA), one of the founding members of the FAVA, has actively participated in the organization’s efforts in terms of responding to various kinds of infectious livestock diseases, sharing information about veterinary medical technologies, and others.

At the opening ceremony, Minister Song Miryung of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said: “Infectious livestock diseases are not a problem limited to one country alone. Nor are such diseases limited to one livestock species anymore. We need to take a One Health approach to responding to infectious livestock diseases. I hope that the 23rd FAVA Congress will serve as an invaluable opportunity to strengthen a partnership among veterinarians in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Minister Song also asked for an active role of veterinarians in various areas—such as improving animal welfare, advancing veterinary medicine, and nurturing companion animal-related industries—in which the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) has been working hard to make progress. 

Meanwhile, Minister Song also attended the opening ceremony of an exhibition attended by 97 companies from such fields as veterinary medicine, veterinary medical devices, pet food, pet products, pet insurance, etc., and said: “I hope that the excellent technologies and business items that Korean companies are showcasing here will lead to an increase in exports.”