PRESS RELEASE  The Qigong Summit 2000 and the Third American Qigong Conference April 21st - 23rd, 2000 Washington, DC at the Omni Shoreham Hotel Announcing The Qigong Summit 2000 and the Third American Qigong Association Conference, a landmark conference to explore, educate and facilitate understanding on the benefits of Qigong in promoting health and life, and how to integrate it into mainstream life and the national health care system. The Summit will be held on the Easter weekend, April 21st to 24th, 2000 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC the heart of policymaking in the United States. Join us for a healing journey as we celebrate the spirituality of humanity and the joys of family. The Qigong Summit 2000 will be on the  leading edge of health care for the 3rd Millennium, a premier step in integrating the valuable components of Qigong, such as self care and health promotion, into the health care system. We will draw on the expertise of decision-makers from the traditional medical/health field, legislators, leaders in complementary and alternative medicine, as well as international Qigong masters, to develop initial plans and strategies to implement  Qigong nationwide. Among the numbers of cosponsors are the prestigious Bureau of Primary Health Care and the United States Public Health Services, Region X of the Department of Health and Human Services. The official recommendations from The Qigong Summit 2000 for short- and-long-term strategies with plans for the integration of Qigong into the nationwide health service system will be submitted to their officials at the final session at the Summit. There will be over 25 presenters including Master Binhui He, noted for his outstanding results with cancer; Master Wang Yan, noted for her weight-loss and smoking cessation and skin condition  expertise; Master Gao Zhi Xiang, noted for improving memory; and Dr. Grandmaster Effie Chow, noted for her success with disabilities and paralysis: Invited are: Dr. Wang Zhi-Xiang, with Institute of Aviation Medicine, China, can immediately elevate and decrease blood pressure; Li-Da Feng, Ph.D. a noted researcher at the Immunology Center in Beijing; The Research Institute from Shanghai; Masters from Romania, Germany and other parts  of the world; Dr. Wu Jin from Beijing with the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and others. What is Qigong? Qigong (pronounced "chee-gung") is a five thousand-year-old traditional form of  Chinese energy exercise for the body, mind and spirit. Qigong literally means "breath work," and is a distillation of several ancient healing systems. The practice of Qigong is based upon the cultivation and balance of "qi," roughly translated as "bioenergy." It is a system for improving and maintaining health, as well as to help cure disease. The basic aim is to bring the body into a state of balance and self-regulation. This concept is at the core of most every aspect of Chinese culture, including art, architecture, philosophy, sports and science. Qigong is a discipline anyone can learn and it is still practiced by more than 100 million people daily in China. Many people practice Qigong simply because it makes them feel good, perform better, experience higher levels of energy and stamina, and reach their level of optimal health.  Over the past twenty years, there has been much government-supported research that validates the scientific basis of Qigong. It is known that many serious illnesses (ie; Cancer, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, etc)  have had immediate results culminating in remission status through practicing Qigong. In more than thirty research studies, Qigong has been found to reverse the effects of aging. Qigong leads to more efficient respiration and metabolism, an improved immune system, and aids in the generation of saliva and gastric juices, thus improving digestion and absorption. The health benefits of Medical Qigong are innumerable, being proven beneficial in a long list of serious neuromuscular conditions, paralysis, anti-aging and children's performance. It can reduce healing time after surgery by 50%, normalize the blood pressure, and heal tuberculosis. It also can be effective in the treatment of substance abuse, obesity, respiratory conditions, asthma and allergies. Qigong has been shown to reduce deaths related to high blood pressure, reduce the frequency of strokes, reduce the incidence of retinopathy (deterioration of the back of the eye), improve the efficiency of the pumping action of the heart, and decrease blood viscosity ("thin" the blood). It has also improved EKG (heart) and EEG (brain) readings, normalized the level of sex hormones, and improved blood sugar levels in diabetics. Qigong Education, Research and Outreach Public interest and demand have  indicated the need for education, clinical and basic research into Qigong in the West for better understanding. Since 1990 the East West Academy of Healing Arts has organized 3 World Congresses on Qigong and two  American Qigong Association conferences with increased participation and interest each time. More than 700 people (with 16 countries represented) attended the last congress, "The Third World Congress on Qigong and the Second American Qigong Association Conference". Qigong Week and Day proclaimed by the Mayor Brown of San Francisco, was also acknowledged and participated by numbers of countries such as Thailand, Latvia, and  Romania. Established in 1997, the World Qigong Federation has grown to include affiliated organizations in different countries such as The American Qigong Association, The German Qigong Association, and The Romania  Qigong Association. Other countries, such as Canada, are in the developmental stages.