On 15 November, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will officially open the Summit, supported by keynote speeches exploring innovation at the evidence-policy nexus for more equitable, sustainable, and resilient global health beyond the pandemic. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany; Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Ban Ki-moon, 8th UN Secretary General; and Soumya Swaminathan, WHO Chief Scientist are among the confirmed distinguished keynote speakers. 

 

The first day of the Summit also features a panel discussion with Ministers of Health from several WHO Regions on leveraging evidence for policy change and societal transformation, and a global expert panel on knowledge translation after COVID-19 and strategies to driving change through the evidence-policy-society interface. 

 

The E2P Summit’s second day is dedicated to regional lessons on evidence-to-policy processes during the COVID-19 pandemic around the world. On 16 November, WHO Regional Offices for Africa, the American Region, the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Europe, and South-East Asia will host dedicated focus events throughout the day. Two global sessions complement these regional perspectives, reflecting on strategies to institutionalize evidence-informed decision-making for effective health policy and linking up the evidence ecosystem towards achieving WHO’s triple billion targets. 

 

The last day of the Summit on 17 November is dedicated to building resilient evidence-to-policy and practice mechanisms beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. After a quick look back at Day 2 featuring selected video highlights from country case studies, a keynote and stakeholder panel will look into the crucial elements of legitimacy and trust in improving the use of evidence in politics and society. 

 

Closing the E2P Summit and kick-starting the journey towards improved collaboration for evidence-informed decision- and policy-making, John Reeder, WHO Director Research for Health, will introduce the draft EVIPNet Call for Action and partner coalition for sustainable evidence-policy-society systems. Invited stakeholders and members of the audience will be flanking the launch with support statements. 

 

Key lessons from the E2P Summit will be made available to participants and the public in a dedicated meeting report and published together with the EVIPNet Call for Action.