Brussels, Belgium – 16 March 2016
Together Under the Umbrella was officially launched at the European Parliament during the 2016 Brain Awareness Week with a cocktail event, hosted by Marek Plura MEP.
MEP Marek Plura (PL) hosted the launch of the „Together Under the Umbrella” campaign (Brussels, Belgium – 16 March 2016)
Eight MEPs attending on the night – including MEP Helga Stevens (BE), Chair of the EP Disability intergroup and MEP Bogdan Wenta (PL), the best-ever Polish handball player!
This event was the culmination of a two-day promotional visit to the European Parliament, building support for the campaign. 40 MEPs, the Belgian Health Minister and well-respected leaders in the field – such as Prof. Richard Morris OBE and Brain Prize winner – were photographed ‘under the umbrella’.
The 2016 Brain Prize winner Richard Morris next to EFNA Vice-President Cathalijne van Doorne, with Frédéric Destrebecq from EBC and Lia Le Roy
Organised by the European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA), the Together Under the Umbrella campaign provides a platform for people with neurological disorders to share their experiences and stories and thereby build a greater understanding of these conditions among the wider public. It reminds people that 1 in 3 Europeans may suffer with a brain disorder during their lifetime.
To build on the political support, EFNA is now asking people to post a picture of themselves under an umbrella on social media using the hashtag #UnderTheUmbrella and linking to the campaign’s online hub. Here key messages, interesting facts, campaign resources and more details are available.
Together Under the Umbrella with EFNA Vice President Kathelijne van Doorne (Brussels, Belgium – 16 March 2016), with Eveline Sipido from EAN
The campaign came about in response to demands by EFNA members to ‘brand the brain’ by grouping brain disorders under a common symbol.
It is linked to the European Brain Council’s Call for Action which asks:
- The European Commission to come forward with a European strategy to tackle brain disorders in a collaborative, integrated and comprehensive manner, as well as to further support European Union Member States and associated countries in their efforts to combat the impact of brain disorders.
- European Union member states and associated countries to implement public health programmes addressing brain health in a systematic way, making the best possible use of available resources in order to stimulate more and better co-ordinated brain research, and to foster strategies for prevention, early detection, diagnosis and adequate treatment.
To find out more about the Together Under the Umbrella campaign click here or follow @UnderUmbrellaEU on Twitter.
