Transforming the narrative: CRDs in the Fourth UN High-level Meeting Declaration

21 May 2025, 19:00-20:30 CET
Hilton Geneva Hotel & Conference Centre, room Geneva II

Join the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies for a strategic side event at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, focused on putting Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRDs) like asthma and COPD firmly on the global health and political agenda. 

This timely session brings together WHA policymakers, experts, and advocates to spotlight the growing global burden of CRDs and highlight WHO’s priorities as we look ahead to the UN High-level Meeting on NCDs. Through dynamic, scenario-based conversations, we’ll stress-test current strategies and explore how future trends might challenge or reinforce our existing approaches.

The event includes a panel of leading voices discussing urgent issues — from research and medicine access to partnerships, primary care integration, and tackling real-world barriers to implementation. We’ll look at what’s at stake if CRDs continue to be overlooked — and what’s possible if we act now.

The goal: build momentum for CRDs to be recognized in the upcoming UN General Assembly political declaration — shifting the conversation from Geneva’s health forums to the global political stage in New York.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a critical push to secure the attention and resources CRDs urgently need.

PANELISTS

José Luis Castro, WHO Director-General, Special Envoy for Chronic Respiratory Diseases​

Susanna Palkonen, Director at the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations

Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO at Health AI (Global Agency for Responsible AI in Health), Director of UNITE

Siân Williams, Chief Executive Officer, International Primary Care Respiratory Group

Dr Anders Løkke Ottesen, Chief Physician of clinical department of Lillebælt Hospital, Professor at Institute for Regional Health Research at SDU​, Chairman of Danish Register for COPD

MODERATOR

Bogi Eliasen, Honorary Fellow in Health Futures, Copenhagen Institute of Futures Studies

Click here to find out more and register.