YFG ARCHIVE [2012]

Young Forum Gastein 2012

Background information & materials

In 2012, 70 young researchers and officials working in the field of health from EU Member States were once again invited to attend the 15th EHFG conference. In addition, the WHO Regional Office for Europe contributed to the initiative, supporting several Young Gastein scholars from Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Programme activities

Apart from actively participating in the general programme, specific Young Forum Gastein meetings and working groups took place. Moreover, meetings between the scholars and EU Commissioner John Dalli, Director General, Paola Testori Coggi, Director General, Robert Madelin and WHO Regional Director for Europe Zsuzsanna Jakab were scheduled to once again take place during the conference.

“For me the Young Forum Gastein Initiative means new ideas, enthusiasm and new European contacts. It is quite special to have an international group of bright young researchers and young policy-maker together in a beautiful setting like Gastein. This setting provides excellent opportunities for Young Gasteiners to get introduced to the topics that senior-level decision-makers are working on. And, vice versa, it’s a good opportunity for these senior decision-makers to get in touch with a younger generation and discuss their ideas and opinions. The informal meetings are great examples of how easy it is for young Gasteiners to interact with high level decision-makers. I believe that the Young Forum Gastein Initiative has the potential to become a strong network of EU health policy advocates, also outside of the Gastein congress week.”

E. W. Maarseveen, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, the Netherlands, Alumni 2011