United in Person-Centered values: Argentina to host PCE 2028 as Ukraine steps back amid ongoing war
Dear members,
We want to share an important update about PCE 2028. Due to the ongoing war, Ukraine will step back from hosting — and Argentina will kindly take over. Below are messages from both countries, reflecting the deep solidarity and person-centered spirit of our community.
“It is with both sadness and gratitude that we share this news. For the second time, Ukraine must step back from hosting the PCE Conference in Lviv — first planned for 2024, and now again for PCE28. The ongoing war and the harsh realities it brings make it impossible for us to welcome our colleagues in the way we had dreamed.
With heartfelt thanks, we pass the turn to our friends in Argentina, who have generously offered their shoulder and stepped forward to host this important gathering. Your solidarity, warmth, and willingness to carry this responsibility in such a short time are deeply moving for us and for the whole person-centered community.
Though the conference will not take place in Lviv this time, our hearts will be with you in Argentina, and we look forward to the day when we can once again open our doors and share our home with you.”
Yana Gololob on behalf of the UUAP (Ukrainian Umbrella Association of Psychtherapists)
From Argentina:
“We are deeply saddened to receive this news. For the second time, Ukraine will not be able to host the PCE Conference in Lviv, which was initially scheduled for 2024 and has then been postponed to 2028. The war and the harsh realities facing the country prevent them from welcoming the PCE community as they had dreamed.
In May 2024, we had an exchange with our colleagues from the UUAP (Ukrainian Association of Psychotherapists), during which we expressed our deep sorrow for the situation of their people and offered our solidarity and support in this painful situation.
During these conversations, we also expressed our willingness to take on the organization of the conference should circumstances prevent it from taking place in Ukraine. This decision was finally confirmed at the WAPCEPC General Assembly held in September 2024.
Today, we receive with deep gratitude and commitment the transfer of responsibility and enthusiastically take on the organization of the 18th World PCE Conference in Argentina in 2028. We are committed to welcoming the entire community with warmth and hospitality, ensuring a meaningful and enriching encounter in the spirit of welcome and excellence that characterizes our person-centered community.
At the same time, we would like to express our sincere hope that, in the near future, Ukraine will be able to fulfill its dream of welcoming the PCE community to Lviv, that beautiful city whose historic center was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998 and which is rich in history, cultural, and academic tradition.
We welcome this opportunity with the conviction that the PCE Conference 2028 will be a space for encounter, learning, and celebration, reflecting the values that unite us as an international community and the spirit of collaboration that allows us to accompany one another in difficult circumstances.
With affection”
PCE-7 Team (Argentina)
Claudia Aguado, Karina Bahillo, Maximiliano Bonomi, María José González Cerezo, Martin Lange, Sergio Daniel López, and Patricia Szychowski.