This symposium aimed at convening young students and researchers in Beijing from different majors with a common interest in global health to present their ideas about global governance for health.
It was Xiaoxiao Jiang from China and member of the Youth Commission who took the initiative to the event. In collaboration with students from the Peking University EPIIC (Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship) Team, she organised the symposium, which was co-sponsored by The Lancet - UiO Commission and the Norwegian Embassy.
The symposium started with a video speech by Rector and Chair of the Commission, Ole Petter Ottersen from the University of Oslo. He commended the students for organizing the event, and said it was an excellent example of the kind of activities he hoped would happen when the Commission was established. Rector Ottersen showed great appreciation for the passion young people have for the promotion and protection of health all over the world, and encouraged them to continue their interest in global health.
Counselor Kari Kveseth from The Norwegian Embassy gave a welcome speech during the Beijing Symposium.
Dr. Kari Kveseth, the counselor of science and higher education of embassy of Norway, gave the welcoming speech for the symposium. In her remarks, Dr. Keveseth emphasized the impact of the younger generation can have on promoting global health and a better future, and expressed her best wishes to the symposium.
During the plenary session, a group of 7 young and enthusiastic students from Peking University presented their research. Their research covered a variety of topics relevant to global governance for health: foreign policy and global health, WHO and its cooperation with lower level government in health policy making, how cultural factors and social norms create misunderstandings in health related issues, access to medicines and pharmaceutical patents, mercury pollution in China, aging health and preferences for elderly care and China’s health reform.
Lucy CHEN, the executive deputy director of the Institute for Global Health, Peking University, provided comments to each speech as well as suggestions for further research. She also gave a brief introduction of the current situation of global health in China, and encouraged the younger generation to devote themselves to the field.
Counselor Kveseth to the left and Executive Deputy Director Lucy Chen to the right.
Dr YIN Hui, Assistant Professor, Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, and Jennifer FANG, research assistant from the Institute for Global Health also spoke highly of the work of all the student delegates.
The research of the youth delegates will be included in a report from the symposium, which will be available online shortly.
