By: Al Muktadir Munam, MSc Student, CH&E and Outreach Assistant, Office of Community Engagement

Sunday marked the official opening of the broader conference at the Halifax Convention Centre. The energy carried over from SEP Day but felt even bigger. The hallways were filled with voices from across the world, sharing research, challenges, and new ideas to make global health more inclusive and effective. The morning began with a series of parallel oral sessions, each tackling urgent issues from different angles. I attended a session that explored how migration, environment, and social factors intersect to shape global health equity, focusing on community resilience and policy approaches that improve access to healthcare and mental health among immigrant and vulnerable populations.

I chose this session because it connected deeply with my own interests in mental health, equity, and the role of technology in improving public health systems. The discussions showed how communities facing displacement and environmental challenges can still build resilience when policies are locally informed and inclusive.

Later, I joined another session that examined how global health systems can be transformed through practical policy implementation and governance innovation. The presenters discussed cross-sectoral collaborations that address social, environmental, and institutional determinants of health, showing that evidence-based policymaking can make a real difference when paired with strong community engagement. For me, it reinforced the importance of connecting research to action and reminded me that data and policy only matter when they improve lives.

 

The CCGH 2025 Official Opening Ceremony followed, where Dr. Shawna O’Hearn, Dr. Margaret Mutumba, and Dr. Colleen Davison welcomed everyone. Dr. Kate Frohlich, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health, gave a thought-provoking keynote. She spoke about the devastating impacts of ongoing conflicts in Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine, underscoring peace as a critical determinant of health. She also introduced the CIHR framework and funding opportunities, encouraging students and researchers to think creatively about how research can directly support peace, equity, and resilience.

The Plenary Session on Navigating Governance, Financing, Collaboration, and Trust in Global Health brought together experts who emphasized that trust is not a byproduct of good systems, it is their foundation. Later in the afternoon, the SEP Symposium on Rethinking Global Health Education sparked fresh ideas on leadership, mentorship, and the role of the next generation in shaping a fairer global health landscape. The last oral session on Community Voices and Participatory Health Research highlighted how true progress in global health comes from listening to the people most affected. Researchers shared examples of co-designed projects that gave communities an active role in defining both problems and solutions. This session echoed deeply with my own work in public health, serving as a powerful reminder that meaningful research begins with listening to communities, not providing solutions to them. The day closed with the poster viewing session and the CAGH Awards Ceremony, a celebration of dedication and shared purpose. The lively performance by Wontanara Drum and Dance filled the room with vibrant rhythm and energy, leaving everyone smiling, clapping, and recharged, a perfect finale to an intellectually enriching day.

This conference left me both inspired and thoughtful. It was incredible to see how global health brings together policy, research, and community voices into one meaningful conversation. Hearing about conflict, peace, and resilience reminded me that health is deeply connected to equity, justice and stability.

Meeting people from all over the world, both professionals and students, opened my eyes to how collaboration across disciplines can truly drive change. The experience also made me reflect on how I can make my own research more relevant to policy and grounded in community needs. I’m especially interested in how AI and data can help promote equitable health outcomes, not just in well-resourced places but in communities that are often overlooked. More than anything, I left with the belief that meaningful change often begins not in large institutions but in small, genuine conversations like those we shared in Halifax.

By: Al Muktadir Munam, MSc Student, CH&E and Outreach Assistant, Office of Community Engagement

The 2025 Canadian Conference on Global Health (CCGH) kicked off in Halifax with a wave of optimism and energy. From the very first session, it was clear that this year’s theme, “Navigating the path forward: Advancing global health in a changing world,” was more than a slogan. It was a genuine call for action and reflection.

 

The Students and Emerging Professionals (SEP) Day took place at Dalhousie University and was filled with enthusiasm, ideas, and inspiration. The day started with the Plenary Panel: Trends in Global Health, where speakers discussed what it truly means to make health accessible for everyone. They talked about the importance of equity, digital health technologies, and the “five A’s” of access: affordability, accessibility, availability, acceptability, and awareness. Real-world examples from Uganda, Rwanda, and Palestine made the discussions even more powerful, reminding us that global health must always be grounded in local context and community engagement.

Next came the Networking Match & Mingle, one of my favorite parts of the day. I was paired with Prof. Charles Tushabomwe Kazooba from Uganda, whose life journey and experiences gave me a lot to think about. His message about following passion rather than chasing titles really stayed with me. He said something that I won’t forget:

If you love what you do, you’ll never feel stuck. Your passion will keep you moving, even through uncertainty.

We also reflected on where we want to be in ten years. At one point, our group ended up talking about AI in global health. We talked about its potential to solve persistent health system challenges, but also the need to ensure ethics, equity, and empathy guide its use.

The atmosphere throughout the day was lively and open. Whether it was during the career development workshop “Getting Hired in Global Health: Resume and Job Search Essentials,” the “Walk & Talk: Pathways to Connections,” or the creative “Vaccinating the Future” Workathon, everyone seemed eager to learn from each other. The day wrapped up with the Global Health Quiz, which brought some laughter and friendly competition, closing the SEP program on a fun and uplifting note.

I left the day feeling genuinely motivated and hopeful.

The energy in the room reminded me why I chose to work in health, to be part of something larger than myself. Hearing about others’ journeys made me rethink how I can align my own research and career goals with real-world impact.

Meeting people like Charles, and others from different countries and disciplines, showed me that global health is not just a field of study, it’s a shared movement built on empathy and connection. After this experience, I want to stay more actively involved in mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration, especially where digital health and community-based approaches meet. I also want to explore how AI and data innovation can be made more inclusive and context-specific, particularly for low-resource settings. SEP Day was more than just a networking event, it was a reminder that every conversation, idea, and connection can spark long-term change.