Letter from Loyce: Great Expectations: Thoughts on Our Upcoming Summit

As Global Health Council’s virtual summit, Pandemics, Politics and Privilege, draws near, we have been thinking a lot about what our audience is hoping to get out of the discussions and what you are most looking forward to during our time together.

With the pandemic and the U.S. election as the backdrop, the types of discussions we have planned are, in our view, timelier and more necessary than ever. There are topics related to the evolution of global health, inclusion, and challenging the status quo that must be addressed. As Kadi Toure of The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health said as part of our #BlackVoices miniseries:

“2020 has been a difficult year, but it’s been a year that is going to challenge us to change because it brought to light some of these issues in a way that people can’t ignore them anymore.”

During our time together next month, we are excited to speak with leaders from the frontline, some of whom are breaking ground as the “first” to serve in their current role. For example, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti from Botswana, is the first woman to be elected as WHO Regional Director for Africa and Dr. John Nkenkasang, currently serves as the first Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The Summit will also be a chance to hear directly from elected officials, including Representative Barbara Lee, founder and co-chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus.

But we don’t want you to just take our word on the relevance of this year’s event. We also have a strong team of advisors, facilitators, and partners who have helped inform the agenda and are excited about what it has to offer. Click here or on the image below to see some of what they have been saying. If you haven’t already registered for the event, we hope reading their perspectives will serve as encouragement to do so today. The only registration fee is an open mind!

https://youtu.be/agBW7gd3F8k