Dear EAN members, friends, and colleagues,
As another busy year for the EAN draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to cast an eye over a few highlights of 2024 and look ahead to some of the exciting plans we have for 2025. Like every year, this one has been packed with many events, initiatives, meetings, and achievements. Moreover, 2024 has had an extra hint of excitement, as we celebrated two major milestones: the 10th anniversary of the EAN and the 30th anniversary of our official journal, the European Journal of Neurology. Both occasions were marked with a range of activities throughout the year, particularly at our 10th congress, in Helsinki, which provided a record-breaking centrepiece.
The President’s Corner – Your chance to ask me anything!
Before we get started, I want to tell you about a new initiative that I am launching to generate some direct interaction with the EAN community. As President of the EAN, I would like to get closer to each member, get a sense of the issues that are important to you, and better understand your feelings and needs. Therefore, I would like to offer you the opportunity to ask me about any topic related to our organisation. You can submit your questions via our social media channels, where we will make specific posts asking for your input; or you can submit them at any time via email. In the following month, I will answer a selection of the questions that we receive, via a post here on eanNews.
I am really looking forward to opening this dialogue with you!
Fittingly, 2024 began with something entirely new: the start of the first EAN Advocacy Training programme. From January to June, participants were led through three modules by international experts in advocacy, public health, and communications, aiming to train them to advocate for brain health and neurology and bridge the gap between medical and political focus. Our successful Advocacy Training Ambassadors have since shared their experiences with us in video form; so, if the thought of taking part interests you, listen to their advice, and apply for the 2025 programme by 19 December!
In early May, we saw another exciting highlight, with the 2024 European Brain Health Summit, welcoming a royal guest to the Paleis der Academiën in Brussels. Her Majesty the Queen of the Belgians honoured the event with her presence, engaging attentively with the presentations and discussions focussing on the holistic approach to brain health, addressing the management of neurological disorders, preventive strategies, and public awareness. Thanks must go to EAN Past President, Paul Boon, for this hugely successful summit!
The high point of 2024, of course, came in the summer, with the 10th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, which drew a record crowd of more than 7,000 onsite participants to Helsinki, with almost another 2,000 joining us online. I think that everybody who participated will agree it was an appropriate celebration of the EAN’s first decade, and a great launch into the second one! With an outstanding scientific and educational programme – as always – and numerous special touches to mark the occasion, it is a congress that will live long in our memories.
In autumn, we were involved in two special brain health related events for the first time. The first was the European Health Forum Gastein, in Gastein, Austria, a hybrid conference which every year brings together diverse participants to “generate innovative strategies and forge strong alliances to safeguard and promote health in a rapidly changing world”. This year its focus was to discuss the greatest challenges facing the people of Europe, and I was delighted to be invited to moderate a session on ‘Promoting brain health for everyone: Taking a holistic approach to neurological & mental health’. The session featured the EAN Past President Paul Boon in his capacity as co-chair of the Brain Health Mission, as well as chairs and executives of the European Brain Council, Brain Capital Alliance, European Psychiatric Association, and Finnish Brain Council. You can watch a recording of this very insightful and productive session on the event website. The second event was a special event held alongside the G7 Meeting of Health Ministers in Ancona, Italy, in October. Organised in collaboration with Italian Brain Health Strategy Partners, and the Italian Society of Neurology, this event aimed to spotlight the critical importance of brain health as a central component of public health strategies for all countries, under the heading ‘Prioritising Brain Health: A Global Imperative for Public Health’. Leading experts and policymakers from a wide array of organisations took part to discuss innovative approaches, share best practices, and outline strategic frameworks for integrating brain health into national and global health policies. You can watch a recording of this fascinating event here.
Also in October, we published our first report on the Brain Health Mission, detailing the work undertaken so far, featuring summaries, statistics, and photos that showcase our commitment to advancing brain health for all. It includes many activities that took place in 2024, such as the Finnish edition of the Brain Health School Challenge, our participation as the primary sponsor of the Vienna Snooker Open championship, involvement in the Naisten Kymppi Women’s 10km run in Helsinki, many activities at the EAN Congress 2024, and all the brain health-related events I have already mentioned in this article. I strongly encourage you to read the report here and consider how you might be able to join us in our mission!
Looking forward, we can already prepare ourselves for some of next year’s highlights. The date is set for the 2025 European Brain Health Summit, on 19 March, which is not to be missed! The details will be announced in due course, but you can be sure that this will rank as one of key moments of 2025.
We also have two major papers in the pipeline: the publication of A Roadmap Towards Promoting and Improving Brain Health in Europe and Closing the Awareness and Funding Gap is imminent; the Cost of Neurological Disorders in Europe – COIN-EU study will follow shortly thereafter. The former presents a roadmap toward decreasing the burden imposed on society by the significant prevalence of neurological diseases and enhancing brain health in Europe. The latter intends to evaluate the cost of illness of neurological disorders and assess that socio-economic burden, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of the epidemiological and health economic literature.
Naturally, our annual congress will be a major focus and there are two new additions to this that I am particularly keen to tell you about. First, the new Anita Harding Award will highlight the major achievements of women in neurology, in honour of Prof. Anita Harding, one of the most outstanding female figures in neurology of her generation. The award, along with its associated lecture, to be delivered during the Presidential Symposium, will serve as a beacon to inspire younger female neurologists and neuroscientists to pursue their careers, and to underscore achievements in and contributions to gender equality in neurology.
Second, the new European Journal of Neurology Jes Olesen Award, funded byformer president of the European Federation of Neurological Societies and founder of the European Journal of Neurology, Prof. Olesen himself, will see €20,000 awarded annually for the next ten years to the best early-career author published in our official journal in the preceding calendar year. The inaugural winner will be invited to give an oral presentation of their paper at the Highlights & Breaking News session on the final day of the congress.
Which brings me neatly on to the final crucial point – that our congress will again be in Helsinki in 2025, instead of Seville as originally planned. You can read about the reasons for the venue change here. As you may be aware, abstract submission and registration are both already open, so please start preparing to join us for another great celebration of neurology in June. I look forward to welcoming you all back to the Home of Neurology!
Until then, I wish you all a happy holiday season and a joyful start to 2025!
Best wishes
Elena Moro, EAN President
