Month: April 2022

EuroHealthNet Annual Seminar: Growing strong in times of crisis

EuroHealthNet Annual Seminar: Growing strong in times of crisis

Investing in wellbeing and health equity for young and old

Our societies are currently at a crossroads. Demographic change, growing inequalities, the climate crisis, COVID-19, and the impacts of the war in Ukraine are all having a negative impact on the health and well-being of our societies. These challenges are straining public resources and the social fabric of our communities. How can we overcome these issues and grow stronger in times of crisis?  

We must prioritise health equity and wellbeing among children, youth, families and older people to ensure they have the essential conditions and resources to thrive, setting them up for lifelong health and wellbeing. Alternative economic and care models, such as the Economy of Wellbeing – as well as socially-conscious public and private investments offer the potential to grow stronger and more sustainably out of the current crises.

This in-person seminar will gather experts and policy makers to explore the necessary conditions in which all members of society, including young and older people, feel like capable and valued members of their immediate and wider communities. New and innovative approaches and investments will be presented, in the context of current European policy developments, and with a critical focus on their impacts on health equity. Discussions will be centred around the following themes:

  • Securing conditions for health equity and wellbeing in childhood and adolescence in times of uncertainty    
  • Prioritising public investments for healthy and active ageing in the wake of multiple crises
  • Exploring how we can turn our current uncertainties into opportunities for strength, through concepts like the Economy of Wellbeing

Date: 31 May 2022

Time: 13:30-17:30 CET

Venue: In person meeting at the Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium

More information

Posted by Didier in News
Intersectoral working during the COVID-19 pandemic in schools

Intersectoral working during the COVID-19 pandemic in schools

Preliminary results of the global survey on safe reopening of schools

The second survey on the safe reopening of schools was active from February to October 2021. The aim of this survey was to gather the experiences and opinions of education and health professionals about the processes in place in their countries and territories to reopen schools safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to keep them open. With the collaboration of our Consortium partners, the survey has been disseminated all around the world in seven languages (Arabic, English, French, German, Mandarin, Portuguese and Spanish), which resulted in contributions from 72 countries.

Many themes are covered by the survey: the implementation of infection control measures in schools, the impact of infection control measures (on students and staff), the guidance and training received, the enablers and barriers to reopening schools and intersectoral working in schools. As a first step, we are glad to share the preliminary results on intersectoral collaboration and training on the UNESCO Chair website.

Posted by Didier in News
UN Transforming Education Summit September 2022

UN Transforming Education Summit September 2022

On the International Day of Education, the UN Secretary-General’s office announced the Transforming Education Summit and encouraged everyone to unite in making education a common good and a top political priority.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented educational crisis, interrupting the schooling of 1.6 billion students at the height of the crisis. Even today, the schooling of nearly 31 million students remains disrupted by school closures. As António Guterres, Unites Nations Secretary-General, points out, the proportion of children in developing countries who leave school unable to read could rise from 53% to 70% if we do not act.

Beyond the issues of access and inequality, education faces major challenges: technical innovation, dramatic changes in the world of work, the reality of the climate emergency and a general loss of trust between people and institutions. There is a need to place education at the heart of efforts to transform the economy and society towards sustainable development. This also means launching a reflection on how education systems can evolve to accompany and support this transformation of societies by 2030. 

This is the objective of the Education Transformation Summit to be held in New York in September 2022 during the 77th Assembly of the United Nations. Recognising that education is a foundation for peace, tolerance, human rights and sustainable development, this Summit aims to mobilise and converge actions, ambitions, solidarity and solutions to transform education by 2030. A pre-Summit conference will take place in Paris in June 2022. A focused, intensive and inclusive preparatory process has been launched by UNESCO, with the aim of taking into account the priorities of Member States and ensuring the meaningful engagement of young people and all education stakeholders.

The UNESCO Chair is a partner in this event and is involved in its preparation, particularly in the area of “inclusive, equitable, healthy and safe schools”.

Posted by Didier in News