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2nd Public Health Diplomacy Summit, Day 2: Panel Discussions

Tuesday, 24 March 2026

This Public Health Diplomacy invited diplomats, academics, civil society representatives, and partner organizations from nearly 15 countries, participated to advance public health diplomacy. Through panel sessions, experts shared unique findings from each of their organizations/countries. The first day was comprised of six sessions:

1. A Paradigm Shift from Global Health Diplomacy to Public Health Diplomacy​ with panelists: Matthew Brown (USA), Rajendra Surenthirakumaran (Sri Lanka), ​Kun-Hsien Tsai (Taiwan).
2. Public Health Diplomacy: Lessons Learned and Opportunities Ahead​ with panelists: Luís de Almeida Sampaio (Portugal), Erica Kastrup (Brazil), Shawna Novak (Canada)​.
3. Health Security and Public Health Diplomacy in an African Context​ with panelists: Woldekidan Amde (South Africa), Olagoke Akintola (South Africa), Margaret Kaseje (Kenya), Tiruneh Baye (Ethiopia), Ntuli A. Kapologwe (Tanzania)​.
4. Advancing Public Health Diplomacy in Europe: ASPHER Perspective​ with panelists: Henrique Barros (Portugal), Robert Otok (Belgium), ​Ramunė Kalėdienė (Lithuania).
5. Engaging Public Health Students and Practitioners in Applied Public Health Diplomacy Initiatives​ with panelists: Antonio Sarría-Santamera (Kazakhstan), Ashraf El-Metwally (Saudi Arabia), William Yotive (USA), Rodrigo Reis (USA), Woldekidan Amde (South Africa), Ramunė Kalėdienė (Lithuania)​.
6. Discussion​ with panelists: Josep Figueras (Belgium), Erica Kastrup (Brazil), ​Robert Otok (Belgium), Ashish Joshi (USA)​.

Panel Discussions

Today we heard from experts from around the globe in person and virtually to colllaborate on regional and international advancements to the field of public health diplomacy.

(L-R) SPH Dean, Dr. Ashish Joshi recognizes Dr. Laura Magaña, President and CEO of ASPPH NEWS

(L-R) SPH Dean, Dr. Ashish Joshi with Dr. Josep Figueras, Director Emeritus of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and moderator for the 2nd Public Health Diplomacy Summit NEWS

Dr. Josep Figueras addresses the contributors during roundtable discussions NEWS

(L-R) Dr. Tiruneh Baye, Technical Officer for Public Health Workforce Development at the Africa CDC and Dr. Xinhua Yu, SPH EBE Program Coordinator, Professor NEWS

(R-L) Robert Otok, Director of the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) and Dr. Gretchen Peterson, Department Chair and Professor, UofM Department of Sociology NEWS

Dr. Laura Magaña, President and CEO of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) NEWS

Dr. Matthew Brown, Sergio Vieira de Mello Endowed Chair in the Practice of Post-Conflict Diplomacy, School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University NEWS

Ambassador Luís de Almeida Sampaio, President of the Strategic Council of Coimbra Health, Member of the Executive Committee of the Academic Alliance of the World Health Summit (WHS) NEWS

Dr. Paul Barach, Professor, Thomas Jefferson University, UNC and Imperial College London, Chair, Accreditation Board, Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation (APHEA) NEWS

(L-R) Dr. Ashraf El-Metwally, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) and Dr. Gretchen Peterson NEWS

Prof. RamunÄ— KalÄ—dienÄ—, Head of Department of Health Management, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, ASPHER NEWS

Dr. Erica Kastrup, Cooperation Advisor, Researcher at the CRIS Center for International Relations in Health of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, ALASAG NEWS

(R-L) Dr. Matthew Brown and Dr. Beverly Tsacoyianis, Associate Professor of History, UofM NEWS

(R-L) Prof. RamunÄ— KalÄ—dienÄ— and BSPH student Savannah Kilgore listen to Dr. Shawna Novak, Executive Director of the Canada International Scientific Exchange Program (CISEPO) NEWS

Session 5 Panelists discuss Engaging Public Health Students and Practitioners in Applied Public Health Diplomacy Initiatives NEWS

Dr. Paul Barach NEWS

Dr. Ken-Hsien Tsai, Associate Chair, Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, ASPPH NEWS

Nishtha Sharma, SPH Strategic Initiatives Research Assistant, shares her table’s discussion points NEWS

Public Health Diplomacy Summit Agenda