As part of the European Brain Council (EBC)’s Global Partnerships in Brain Research activities, EBC, in collaboration with the Baker Institute for Public Policy, the Brain Capital Alliance, the Brain Health Nexus and supporting partners will organise an event at the Science Summit at the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) on 18 September 2023 at the Harvard Club of New York City.

In line with the Science Summit’s core focus of examining policy, regulatory and financial environments needed to implement and sustain the science mechanisms required to support global scientific collaborations, the Brain Research Day will highlight the existing partnerships, roadmaps and potentials of extended global collaboration specifically in the brain area, in the case of neuroscience but also in addressing brain disorders, neurological and mental alike.

Across the globe, society is facing brain challenges like never before—improving the health and well-being of citizens has become the top priority for many governments and brain health should not be left behind. Brain disorders, neurological and mental alike, are pervasive and pernicious diseases that are often difficult to treat. Enhancing global brain research collaboration can spur innovation and quicken effective outcomes to the benefit of people living with brain conditions everywhere.

Over the last few years, EBC has served as a convener for experts in the brain community to share best practices, exchange ongoing work and align priorities to forge a joint path forward to understand and address the brain rather than in silos across continents. Two main discussions took place over the last year, first at the SSUNGA77 in New York in September 2022 followed by a full-day event in Brussels on the occasion of Brain Awareness Week, where it was determined that coming together and addressing global partnerships in a united, concrete manner was an ideal and vital next step to tackle the global burden of brain disorders together.

In order to move past discussion and work towards explicit and tangible next steps in solidifying global efforts in brain research, EBC proposes a full day event in order to cover a number of important areas for action, with as many relevant actors involved, to build towards a Call to Action and Policy Recommendations on Global Partnership in Brain Research to guide national, regional and global policymakers towards better addressing brain health in the future, particularly as they prepare for the post-Sustainable Development Goals era (during the Summit of the Future 2024 and the High Level Conference on the UN NCD Strategy 2025).

View the final programme here and watch the livestream here.

For more information and to inquire about attendance, please contact Stephanie Kramer, Head of Communications, Advocacy and Policy at EBC: stkr@braincouncil.eu