A Palestinian Family Doctor’s Journey to WONCA World 2025
Report on WONCA World Conference from a winner of the Donald Li YDM Global Scholarship
By Dr. Beesan Maraqa
Donald Li Scholarship Recipient 2025
Palestine
It was a great pleasure and honor to attend the WONCA World Conference in Lisbon, held from September 17 to 21, 2025. This opportunity was made possible through the generous support of the Donald Li Scholarship, and I remain deeply grateful to the YDM Committee and WONCA for enabling my participation in such a significant global event.
Attending this conference was an unforgettable experience. It brought together family medicine leaders, educators, researchers, and young doctors from all over the world, united by a shared vision to advance primary care. One of the highlights for me was meeting several inspiring women leaders in family medicine, including Drs. Amanda Howe, Anna Stavdal, Karen Flegg, and Viviana Martinez-Bianchi. Each of them exemplifies leadership, mentorship, and advocacy, and their commitment to global health and equity was both motivating and empowering.
I was privileged to deliver an oral presentation titled “We Haven’t Even Started Crying Yet: Caring for the Family Under Occupation and War in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” It was an emotional and deeply personal presentation that reflected on the daily struggles of healthcare providers working in conflict settings. During my talk, I shared stories from the field - of resilience, pain, and humanity. The audience was visibly moved, and many expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people and admiration for the commitment of family doctors working under such difficult conditions.
The conference also provided a valuable academic and networking experience. I took the time to attend as many oral and poster sessions as possible, using the WONCA App to plan my schedule efficiently. I focused particularly on sessions addressing primary care in humanitarian contexts, health systems strengthening, and research capacity building. I also reviewed many poster presentations, gaining valuable insights that will inform my future research work in family medicine and public health.
Beyond the sessions, the conference was a space for meaningful connections. I met many genuine and supportive colleagues from Lisbon, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Qatar, several of whom have since become good friends. We continue to stay in touch and share professional updates, reflecting the spirit of international collaboration that WONCA fosters.
My journey to Lisbon was not easy. Traveling from the occupied Palestinian territories is always complicated, and unfortunately, I missed the first day of the YDM pre-conference. However, I was deeply touched by the care and understanding shown by Cheryl Chan (pictured), the outgoing YDM Lead and now a Member-at-Large on the WONCA Executive Board. She checked on me and offered support, demonstrating the sense of solidarity that defines the WONCA YDM community.
Attending WONCA World 2025 was a transformative experience. It strengthened my belief in the global family medicine movement and renewed my commitment to advancing primary care in challenging contexts. Without the support of the Donald Li Scholarship and the YDM network, this experience would not have been possible. I return home with new knowledge, meaningful connections, and renewed motivation to continue serving my community and contributing to the development of family medicine worldwide.
Sincere thanks to all
Dr. Beesan Maraqa
About the Donald Li YDM Global Scholarship
The Donald Li YDM Global Scholarship supports young family doctors from low- and middle-income countries to attend the WONCA World Conference. Each year, three selected applicants receive a USD $2500 bursary to help cover travel, registration, visa, and accommodation costs.
The scholarship aims to expand opportunities for emerging leaders in family medicine, encouraging participation in global dialogue and strengthening the future primary care workforce. Recipients are active members of the Young Doctors’ Movements and contribute to developing family medicine in their regions.
WONCA is very grateful to its past president, Dr Donald Li, for his generous support of this scholarship.
Subscribe to the WONCA newsletter to be informed when applications for this and other opportunities open.
Read about the 2025 winners here.