From the editors
May you live in interesting times… depending on your point of view this can hold potential as well as problems. For those of us dedicated to transformation, we had hoped for evolution rather than revolution. But few had really anticipated such a direct copy of old strategies of authoritarianism to shape the beginning of 2025 to this extent.
As ever, the present holds all the potential futures. Some have become more likely. Others less so. The basic analysis of the needs for systemic changes to achieve a wider prosperity remain more or less the same. When the Millenium Development Goals were built, they seemed lofty and impossible, but most people had hope. With the Sustainable Development Goals, the world was picking up steam until COVID came along and put a significant dent in hope.
“A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.” – so when Naomi Klein writing with Astra Taylor, speaks of billionaires building bunkers as part of a recent essay about “Endtimes Fascism” in The Guardian, we are far from the levels of hope needed for longterm thinking.
But still. Some lessons have been learnt. Some are still tirelessly working for a better future. Some are still eager to enable change when and where it is possible. So below, you’ll find a strong collection of events, actions, publications, and people eager to do more together towards European health futures.
Lars Münter and Nina Sønderberg
Development Director and Learning Experience Director, EHFF
How the economy is making us ill… and how economists aims to change this – new webinar and research
Collaborating with WEAll, our recent webinar about wellbeing economy was titled How the economy is making us ill – and what can we do about it – and was part of a new webinar series from WEAll. What if health care was designed for people, not profit? What if our economy prioritized wellbeing over wealth?
Join us for a bold, thought-provoking webinar series that challenges the status quo. Together, we’ll explore how our economic systems shape health outcomes—and imagine what healthcare could look like in an economy that truly values people, places, and the planet.
Find latest news from WEAll here
At the same time, London School of Economics launched new research about Placing wellbeing at the centre of government decision-making – read more about this here or see introductory video about this below.
Innovation leadership in public health – new publication
New article by WHO Europe experts Moredreck Chibi and Gauden Galea, both from the Special Initiative on NCD and Innovation explores the nature and foundation of innovation in health.
”Innovation leadership in public health has become increasingly crucial in an era of complex global health challenges and rapid technological advancements. This commentary explores the concept of innovation leadership, its importance in public health, and the key factors that influence its effectiveness.”
#StandUpForPublicHealth – new campaign
While health is also a fundamental value and a strategic pillar of Europe’s security, resilience, and democracy, the Civil society organisations (CSOs) in health – representing professionals, patients, researchers, and citizens – that are an essential part of the EU ecosystem – are fighting once again to get the European Commission to adopt their own (!) 2025 EU4Health Work Plan, as the pathway to also ensure full-year operational funding for health civil society organisations under the existing Framework Partnership Agreements.
While health was the key strategic issue for every EU policy area only a few years ago, it seems the winds of change are sometimes not really there at all. A new campaign and petition led by Charlotte Marchandise, Executive Director of EUPHA aims to change this.
And also keep in mind the deadline for abstract submission for the EPH Conference 2025 in Helsinki is May 1st – check out guidelines here.
The Good Shift – in variations – new book
A new learnbook ‘Learning Towards Zero,’ The Good Shift, explains how a theory of action provides a crucial framework for understanding change—and how we can organize ourselves to achieve it. The book also provides a number of graphical illustrations that explains several variations.
Check out the book here or read more about The Good Shift initiative here
EU Calls for Evidence!
EU still needs input. Or (considering the call to action mentioned above) at least a mechanism that allows input to appear on the radar. Among their current 3550 (!) initiatives, quite a few relates to health. Find two of these below and check out both previous comments via the links. If you want to explore or search for other options, read more here
Find the Call for Evidence for Future Cities here
Find the Call for Evidence for Future Life Science Strategy here
The Young Forum Gastein 2025 call for applications is OPEN!
With May 12 as the deadline, young professionals are once again encouraged to consider applying for the Young Forum Gastein Scholarships – a pathway to a community of public health policy passionate peers. Check out format and more below – and you (or your young friend – below 35) might be one of the new Young Gasteiners going to this years European Health Forum Gastein in September-October.
WHO Health Workforce Symposium Copenhagen – April 28-30
With the heading “Looking the Future” – the upcoming WHO Symposium in Copenhagen April 28-30 will explore modelling and optimizing the health and care workforce. EHFF members will be on the agenda too, where Daniel Steenstra will present the work of the Transformational Catalyst group in a panel debate, while also Development Director Lars Münter will join sessions on AI and collaborative partnerships.
Read more about the event and programme
Wellbeing Economy Forum Reykjavik – May 8-9
The Wellbeing Economy Forum is a global platform for dialogue, collaboration, and change among politicians, policymakers, business leaders, academics, and practitioners. Organised by the Icelandic Directorate of Health with support from the EU health programme, JA PreventNCD, WEAll, and EuroHealthNet, the forum is committed to reshaping our economic systems to operate within environmental limits and prioritise the wellbeing of all generations. EHFF directors Lars Münter and Nina Sønderberg will participate in the forum and report.
International Spirit of Humanity Forum, Reykjavik – May 8-11
7th International Spirit of Humanity Forum (SoH) in Iceland, entitled: “Inner Wisdom in Governance and Leadership – Acting with Courage and Compassion”. Hosted by the City of Reykjavík, the Forum will take place from 8th to 11th May 2025.
The Forum serves as a global movement for leaders across various fields to explore how personal transformation and core human values such as love and compassion can lead to systemic change.
Since 2012, the SoH Forum, held every two years in Iceland, has supported leaders in their exploration of new ways of leading that are inclusive, compassionate and restorative for humanity and the Earth. EHFF Network Director David Somekh will participate and report.
Patients Rights Day, Brussels – May 15
In 2002, Active Citizenship Network (ACN) collaborated with European citizens’ organizations to draft the European Charter of Patients’ Rights. This Charter, available in 22 languages, enumerates 14 rights – a cornerstone for European citizens and health services.
This conference will emphasise the importance of transparency in the use of health data and the oversight required to ensure its safe and effective sharing. EHFF member Edoardo Montin will participate and report.
BEHEALTH project meeting Cyprus – May 26-27
First face to face meeting of the BEHEALTH partners (EHFF in person of David Somekh and Aleš Bourek) will in Cyprus May 26-27 to discuss one of the main deliverables, an innovative 360 degree control to provide multi-stakeholder feedback, enabling nurse training organisations to self-evaluate their QA strategies holistically.
BEHEALTH is an Erasmus+ project that aims at supporting Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Work-Based Learning (WBL) providers in nursing education towards evaluating and improving their quality assurance practices.
Read more about the project here
European Conference on Operational Research, Leeds UK – June 22-25
The Operational Research Society is hosting the 34th European Conference on Operational Research at the University of Leeds in June 2025. Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of EURO, there are a large number of streams including OR in Healthcare and System Thinking. EHFF member Max Moullin will be presenting a paper in the latter stream on “Systemic Change: Improving Outcomes with the Public Sector Scorecard”. EHFF members may also be interested in a keynote talk by Sanja Petrovic on “Operational Research Challenges in Healthcare”.
Digital Public Health – AMR on the agenda – July 24-26
AMR is still (!) the silent tsunami. Regardless of multiple action plans and focus on broken business models, the number of resistant strains are on the rise. Fast.
Our EHFF AMR WG with Tanja Valentin, Rui Loureiro, David Somekh, and Lars Münter has been focusing on new data models for targeted action (and creative communication) – and at the Digital Public Health Conference in Madeira, EHFF member Carina Dantas will join Development Director Lars Münter to lead a tutorial session with Patty Kostkova and Paloma Moraga Alapont on using data in new ways for targeted action.
Read more about the tutorial session here
D-A-CH Dialog in Vienna – March 30-April 1
Future strategy for health literacy was at the center of the recent D-A-CH Dialog in Vienna. Gathering experts from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (and a single etranger too) the forum explored current and coming challenges to health literacy in the three key countries with German-speaking populations.
An international and also non-EU only dialogue about digital health, democracy, education, leadership, practical action, trust, measurement, cross-sector collaboration and much more. Read short summary from EHFF Development Director Lars Münter here.
Read more and find programme and presentations here
Cyprus Conference – One Health One Road – March 20-21
In a collaboration with Cambridge Medical Academy, European University Cyprus, Nordic Wellbeing Academy, Digital Mental Health Consortium, ElevateHealth, and IE Open, EHFF contributed to the Future of Personalised Medicine Summit in Nicosia.
EHFF members Adam Skali, Learning Experience Director Nina Sønderberg, and Development Director Lars Münter joined a truly global gathering with a strong contingent of participants online and offline from Europe, Africa, Middle East, and China.
New Members Meet, March 2025
As you may remember, our New Members Meet is an informal, but insightful way to learn more about both members, thoughts and ideas, perspectives and diversity.
The format is one hour – using about half to have a round of introdustions and questions and the other half to reflect on new topics for consideration in our network – you are all welcome to join.
The event is open for non-members too; and thus gives our forum another window to the world of futures thinking, system transformation, wellbeing economy and more.
March 25, three members joined;
• Carina Dantas, CEO of Shine 2Europe
• Edoardo Montin, Healthcare Policy Consultant. Acumen Public Affairs
• Max Moullin, Director of the Public Sector Scorecard Research Centre
Discussion about future – New Members Meet, March 2025
Following the introductions, we once again had a short Q&A about EHFF activities – and a debate our current issues of interest for future health. Watch the short debate below.
And ICYMI – the New Members, February 2025
Louisa Chioma Edekobi, LinkedIn
Domain Experts Newsletters Coming Up
From the beginning of 2025 we’ve asked and found a series of domain experts in our forum to share their insights in the key domains they thrive in. So stay tuned for coming newsletters from these special editors and experts. You are welcome to join this dedicated group – but do also share tips or insights from previous or coming events that you think we should include.
