18/05/2026
🌍 From Dialogue to Action at WHA79
On 17 May 2026, the Alliance for Health Promotion, together with the Health Innovation Exchange and the World Council of Churches, cohostsed the WHA79 side event “From Dialogue to Action: Co-creating the Next Steps for Civil Society in Global Health Promotion” in Geneva.
Moderated by Dr.Veronica Shiroya , Alliance Board Member and researcher, the session brought together speakers from the World Health Organization, the Alliance for Health Promotion, Health Innovation Exchange, and the World Council of Churches, including Dr.Etienne Krug, Dr.Faten Ben Abdelaziz, Ms.Gabriella Sozanski,Mr.Pradeep Kakkattil, and Dr.Manoj Kurian.
The discussion explored how civil society can communicate more effectively, collaborate more strategically, and act more coherently across sectors to advance health promotion and well-being.
A clear message emerged : civil society is essential to global health governance. Governments and businesses cannot address today’s complex and cross-border health challenges alone. Communities, civil society networks, researchers, innovators, faith-based actors, and public institutions all have a role to play.
Speakers highlighted the importance of trust, shared accountability, community engagement, and co-designed action. They also reflected on the need to rethink health communication, especially for young people and communities that are often not reached through traditional approaches.
As we mark 40 years of the Ottawa Charter, the Alliance will continue working to strengthen civil society participation and keep health promotion at the centre of global health action.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to such a meaningful discussion!
