ITI raises $130,000 for earthquake victims

On 31 July, the International Team for Implantology (ITI) hosted a charity event in Tokyo to benefit victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Revenues from the event, including admission fees and income from an industry exhibition, were donated to support the victims of the natural disaster that struck Japan in March 2011.

In addition, the organisation collected funds to the amount of more than USD 45,000 from its membership worldwide during the last four months.

At the charity event, ITI President Prof. Dr Daniel Buser handed over a cheque in the amount of 10 million Japanese Yen (USD 130,000) to Peace Winds Japan (www.peace-winds.org), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the support of people in distress, threatened by conflict, poverty or other turmoil.

‘The world was shaken by the news of the earthquake, tsunami and ensuing catastrophe in terms of the great loss of life and continuing danger from the nuclear reactors in northern Japan,’ said Prof. Buser. ‘It is a matter of course for the ITI to support the efforts being made to provide aid and thereby to demonstrate what belonging to a worldwide community really means.’

Organised by the ITI Section Japan, the charity event took place at Tokyo Station Conference and drew more than 250 participants.

The scientific programme included five lectures that addressed ‘Teamwork approaches in implant dentistry’.