December 2025: New Delhi, India · The Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

Five Lessons I Learned from Traveling to the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi, India

In 2023, members of our group traveled to New Delhi, India to attend the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine.

The following reflection was written by Nelson Ruiz Blanco following this experience.

Travel has a way of teaching lessons that no classroom ever could. Some journeys teach you about places. Others teach you about people. And then there are those rare experiences that quietly reshape how you see the world, humanity, and yourself.

Attending the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi, India, was one of those journeys.

Before I share the lessons, I must begin with gratitude. The World Health Organization and the Ministry of AYUSH of India deserve high praise for the extraordinary organization of this global event. The hotels, facilities, logistics, and overall experience were truly top notch.

A special congratulations also goes to the Government of India for the construction of the Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre, a world-class venue that can stand alongside the finest convention centers anywhere on the planet. It is a symbol of a country investing not only in infrastructure, but in the future of global dialogue.

As our world changes rapidly—socially, spiritually, environmentally, and politically—gatherings like this one awaken those who may still be asleep to the transformations already underway. The conversations, exchanges, and connections made during this summit made every moment worthwhile.

Here are five lessons that stayed with me long after the journey ended.

1. Traveling with the Mamos Is Not a Stroll in the Park (And That’s the Gift)

To understand this journey, you must first understand the Mamos.

In the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in northern Colombia—an area Indigenous peoples call “The Heart of the World”—live the Kogi, Wiwa, Arhuaco, and Kankuamo nations. The Mamos are their spiritual authorities, elders, and knowledge keepers. They are guardians of the Law of Origin (Ley de Origen), an ancient spiritual and ecological code that governs balance between humans, nature, and the cosmos.

Chosen at birth and trained for many years in seclusion, Mamos dedicate their lives to maintaining harmony through ceremony, meditation, and guidance. They do not seek power, recognition, or wealth. Their responsibility is service.

When they leave their sacred territory, they enter what they call the world of the “younger brothers and sisters”—our modern world. And because this world operates under very different rules, they must travel with a conveyor: someone who can guide, translate language and energy, and ensure their wellbeing at every moment.

That role was mine.

From visas, flights, schedules, meals, and hotel check-ins, to helping them navigate airports, time zones, and technology—I became the bridge between worlds. I was the clock for those who do not live by time, the translator for those whose language carries both words and energy, and the guardian of their safety from the moment they woke until the moment they slept.

It was exhausting. It was demanding. It required complete presence.

And I would do it again without hesitation.

Because in between the logistics, there were conversations—deep, sacred, and full of wisdom. I witnessed a way of seeing the world where every tree, animal, mountain, and ray of sunlight is alive and communicating. I was reminded that humility and simplicity are not weaknesses, but strengths we have forgotten.

2. When You Invite the World, Food Matters More Than You Think

When people from more than 100 countries gather, food becomes diplomacy.

Meals are not just nourishment—they are culture, memory, comfort, and respect. A thoughtful menu communicates inclusion before a single word is spoken.

Different traditions, beliefs, and bodies require different care. Vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, gluten-free, and culturally specific options are not luxuries; they are signs of hospitality. When people can eat with ease and joy, they feel seen. When they feel seen, they open up.

At international gatherings, food builds bridges. A shared meal often becomes the beginning of a shared understanding.

3. The Mindset of the Healthcare World Is Changing

One of the most powerful realizations at the summit was this: medicine is evolving.

Modern healthcare is slowly shifting away from a purely reactive, pharmaceutical-based model and toward a holistic, integrative approach that considers prevention, lifestyle, emotional wellbeing, and connection to nature.

This is not a rejection of science—it is an expansion of it.

Institutions like the National Institute of Unani Medicine in India are bridging ancient systems with modern research, showing that traditional medicine and evidence-based practice can coexist. Research on meditation, nutrition, the gut microbiome, and stress confirms what Indigenous and ancient systems have known for centuries: the body can heal itself when given the right conditions.

The future of healthcare lies not in choosing between worlds, but in honoring both.

4. Nice People Are Truly Found All Over the World

Travel strips away stereotypes.

In India, in airports, hotels, conference halls, and quiet moments between sessions, I was reminded of something simple but powerful: kindness is universal.

Nice people exist everywhere. They smile, help, listen, and care—often without being asked. They cross cultural and language barriers effortlessly, proving that humanity is more connected than divided.

Kindness is contagious. Every act of it plants a seed.

5. Logistics Become a Nightmare When We Forget Cultural Reality

Protocols are necessary—but rigid systems fail in a living world.

When logistics ignore cultural differences, human needs, or real-world unpredictability, even the smallest detail can become a crisis. A simple reimbursement process, meal schedule, or accommodation choice can collapse when cultural awareness is missing.

True logistical success requires flexibility, empathy, and cultural intelligence. Especially now, when the world is smaller, faster, and more interconnected than ever, we must design systems that adapt—not just comply.

Final Reflection

This journey was not just about attending a summit. It was about walking between worlds—ancient and modern, spiritual and scientific, slow and fast—and learning that the future of humanity depends on our ability to listen to all of them at once.

The Mamos often say that balance is not found in choosing one side, but in honoring the whole.

After this journey, I finally understand what they mean.

— Nelson Ruiz Blanco

Vice President, NAC Golden Bridge Foundation