Transforming the Narrative: Chronic Respiratory Diseases in the HLM4
With pleasure, we would like to inform you that the TRANSFORMING THE NARRATIVE: Chronic Respiratory Diseases in the HLM4 meeting will be held on Wednesday 21 May 2025 from 19:00-20:30 CET. The meeting will take place at Hilton Geneva Hotel & Conference Centre in meeting room Geneva II.
Transforming the Narrative
Chronic Respiratory Diseases in the HLM4 From WHO Priorities to UN Action
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.
This event is supported by Sanofi and Regeneron.
PANELISTS
– José Luis Castro, WHO Director-General, Special Envoy for Chronic Respiratory Diseases
– Tonya Winders, President, Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform
– 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