Tsinghua University hosts 2nd forum on global development and health communication

The 2nd Global Development and Health Communication Forum opened on Saturday at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

The two-day event, hosted by the Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication and organized by the Tsinghua Center for Global Development and Health Communication Research, aimed to drive integration and connection of resources, and further promote cross-sector, cross-border dialogue to enhance cooperation in global health.

Over 300 experts and scholars gathered to exchange ideas and insights under the theme of how communication can promote sustainable development.

Over the past decades, communication has emerged as an important driver of progress toward Sustainable Development Goals. Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, said that the forum is important given the challenges that the world confronted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a reminder of how critical the role of communication is.

"The pandemic proved to be a great teacher. It reminded us how fragile we are. It demonstrated to us that it doesn't matter of how big a country is, or how advanced the economy it has. But it was also a huge opportunity. China has done very well in the space of public health. China plays a key role in resurrecting the spirit of multilateralism on health cooperation," he said.

"This is a great opportunity for all of us to look at health as one place where we can insulate geopolitics and come together," he added.

The organizer of the forum, Professor Zhou Qing'an, Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Tsinghua University, noted that the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has come to its midpoint. However, challenges are increasingly seen amid the uncertainties that global health systems are facing.

"The forum gathered partners from all sectors of health systems around the world to share the information and ideas, and together we try to find a new path for health communications, " he said. He said he believes that through dialogue, the spirit of sharing may lead us to achieve our vision of developing a healthy society.

Zheng Zhijie, Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's China Office, emphasized that "'inclusive innovation', which considers the most fundamental needs of vulnerable populations and ensures that all people will benefit equally from its results, is the key to improvement for humankind."

Moreover, he emphasized that China is entering an aging society, and more resources should be put into building a more efficient welfare system for the elderly. "With the advancement of science and technology, what we really need is to create more tools for the elderly to live a more fulfilled and productive life," he said.

The forum also hosted the launch ceremony of the Tsinghua Global Development and Health Communication Information Hub. The hub, developed and managed by the Tsinghua Center for Global Development and Health Communication Research, is the first domestic platform for facilitating the exchange of information and innovation in global development and health communication.

The platform will collect data from annual reports, global surveys, and notable research studies and publish key case studies and multimedia materials.

Speaking of the significance of the hub, Christy Feig, Head of Communications at the Global Fund, said that "getting people to master communication and to change public health with it is everything. Nothing would change without communication."

Najum Iqbal, Head of Communications for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in East Asia, discussed with other experts how to use technological innovation to lower the costs of drug development and treatment, and make healthcare more equitable and accessible to all those in need.