Events

WFPHA conducts two main types of events, an Annual Meeting (AM) and an International Congress on Public Health. WFPHA has also begun to hold Executive Board meetings twice per year, at the time of the Annual Meeting and again in six months.

The WFPHA Annual Meeting is held in Geneva each May at the time of the World Health Assembly. As the Annual Meeting is primarily a business meeting to conduct the affairs of the Federation, its main delegates are the representatives of its Member associations. However, others are often in attendance, including observers and other interested parties. The scheduling of the AM, usually on the first day of the WHA facilitates the participation of WFPHA Member representatives, who may be Members of their own government delegations, as well as WHO and key government officials, including Ministers or their representatives. The Annual Meeting is also the time for key WFPHA Committees to meet and conduct business. They normally hold their meetings on the day before the AM and then report their decisions to the AM the next day. Key committees are Awards, Environmental Health, Membership, Nominations and Policy.

The International Congress, which takes place every three years, is a scientific conference for public health professionals from around the world. Traditionally, the International Congress is hosted by a WFPHA Member and may take place in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the host organization. WFPHA convenes a scientific conference every three years. Health and development experts from around the world gather at the Congress to share ideas, experiences, and research. The site of each Congress is determined by a bid process undertaken by WFPHA. The Federation makes a deliberate effort to circulate the location of the Congresses among the world’s different regions so that the public health professionals in a given region have a chance to highlight public health in their own region at the WFPHA Congress. This means, however, that it is unlikely that two consecutive Congresses will be held in the same region. If you are a WFPHA Member and would like to host a Congress, please contact the Secretariat Office to request a bid proposal form.