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

We are excited to announce the winners of our 2025 Global Health Photo Contest. The theme of this year’s contest was Community Engagement, and the submissions beautifully captured how connection, trust, and shared experiences shape stronger communities. Here are the winning photos and the stories behind them.

1st Place – “Together We Thrive”

By: S M Kawser Zafor Prince

This photo of four monkeys grooming each other beautifully captures the essence of community engagement. In the animal kingdom, grooming is more than hygiene. It’s a social behavior that builds trust, strengthens bonds, and supports group cohesion. Similarly, in human communities, engagement means looking out for one another, building relationships, and supporting each other’s well-being. The image of the monkeys caring for one another symbolizes cooperation, empathy, and the quiet, everyday acts that hold communities together. It reflects the idea that engagement isn’t always loud or grand. It can be gentle, intimate, and instinctive. Just like these monkeys, strong communities are formed when individuals invest time in caring for each other as a close-knit family.

2nd Place – “Relationship Building – One Coffee at a Time”

By: Isabel Jordan

I’m a disabled community member that both works as a patient partner in health research and mentors clinicians and researchers on patient partnership/community engagement. Working with folks like me requires a commitment to relationship building and an understanding that a seat at your table isn’t enough. We need to be met where we are in ways that are comfortable and safe for us. This photo represents those moments of connection that can create safety and trust when working with community members. Coming to us, sharing a coffee (or tea, or beverage of choice) demonstrates a willingness to accept us as we are and prioritize our (and our communities’) needs.

 

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.

By: Dr. Lucy Eum, MD, Dr. Shawna O’Hearn, Director, Office of Community Engagement, Elise Sammons, Manager of Global and Planetary Health, Office of Community Engagement

Dr. Tarun Ghose was a distinguished physician, medical researcher, and educator whose lifelong commitment to advancing cancer research and promoting global health left a lasting impact. Born in India, Dr. Ghose’s career spanned continents, with a particular focus on oncology, radiation biology, and the biological effects of radiation.

In 1958, Dr. Ghose was part of the team that conducted pivotal research in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, co-authoring a groundbreaking paper that linked leukemia incidence to radiation exposure in atomic bomb survivors. This work earned him international recognition for its critical contribution to understanding the long-term effects of radiation.

His distinguished career continued at Dalhousie University for over two decades as a faculty member. He pioneered research in cancer immunology, authoring 200 papers and giving invited lectures at scientific meetings around the world.

But Dr. Ghose’s legacy extends beyond his scientific work. He was a passionate advocate for global health, peace, and social justice. His deep concerns about the state of the world were reflected in his personal actions and his writings. In a letter written just weeks before his passing in 2020, he expressed his hopes for a better future: “There is nothing but human destruction and devastation going on unchecked around the world. We need to have a minimum standard of human health, we need strong international bodies to promote peace and avoid wars. We also need to ban the sale of weapons of mass destruction. Canada can probably do something about it.”

In recognition of these values, Dr. Ghose left funds to establish this lecture series on global and planetary health, a testament to his dedication to keeping these conversations at the forefront of our work at Dalhousie and in the Maritimes.

A man of intellect, compassion, and vision, Dr. Ghose’s legacy endures not only through his scientific contributions but also through his ongoing influence in the areas of global health, peace, and social justice. His belief that “A life well lived is a beautiful legacy” reflects the profound impact he had on those around him, and his memory continues to inspire through the Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health lecture series established in his name.

On April 2, 2025, the second Dr. Tarunendu Ghose visiting Scholar in Global Health lecture took place, here at Dalhousie University. Dr. Sonja Wicklum’s lecture, “Planetary Health Education, from Burden to Privilege: Addressing the Greatest Health Threat of Our Time,” was a compelling call to action for integrating planetary health into every level of medical education and practice. Dr. Sonja Wicklum is a family physician, educator, and advocate based at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, where she serves as the Director of Planetary Health. She brings over a decade of clinical and academic experience, including work in rural Montana and Ontario. She is the principal investigator of the CIHR-funded Makoyoh’sokoi (Wolf Trail) Program—a holistic wellness initiative for Indigenous women—and holds leadership roles such as Family Medicine Clerkship Director and Co-Chair of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada Planetary Health Committee. Recognized for her contributions with multiple awards, including the Nicole Bruinsma Award for Environmental Leadership, Dr. Wicklum is a national and international leader in embedding sustainability, advocacy, and equity into healthcare.

In her talk, Dr. Wicklum situated Canada—and Alberta specifically—within the global climate crisis, highlighting both the environmental toll of the oil and gas industry and the opportunity for health systems to lead in climate mitigation.

Dr. Wicklum emphasized that planetary health education must be transformative, rooted in systems thinking, social justice, and Indigenous knowledge, and supported by emotionally resonant teaching that inspires connection, care, and action.

A central theme was the pivotal role of medical learners. Medical students and residents are not only eager but essential agents of change, with real impact already seen in clinical practices shifting away from high-carbon interventions like metered-dose inhalers. Dr. Wicklum stressed that students must be empowered through education, dialogue, and inclusion in decision-making. She shared concrete examples from the University of Calgary, including sustainable quality improvement projects and the expansion of the Makoyoh’sokoi (Wolf Trail) wellness program for Indigenous women.

Her talk also highlighted major initiatives in Alberta—despite political challenges—such as greening primary care clinics and using family medicine offices as conduits for climate education. She underscored the urgent need for health systems to model low-carbon care, advocate for policy change, and prepare for climate-related disasters. Above all, she framed this work not as an obligation, but a profound privilege—especially in supporting young people whose mental health is increasingly affected by climate anxiety. Her message was one of hope, responsibility, and the power of healthcare to shape a more sustainable and just future.

To watch the recording of the 2025 lecture and to learn more about our planetary health work please visit our website.

By Lucy Eum, Resident, Dalhousie Department of Medicine and Outreach Assistant, Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health

As we begin a new academic year we wanted to highlight our amazing team. I sat down with Elise Sammons, Manager of Global and Planetary Health and here is what she had to say.

Q: Please describe your work in 6 words.   

A: Health for the planet and people everywhere. I went with seven words! Hope that’s okay. 

Q: Why do you do this work?   

A: I believe we should be working toward a healthier world for everyone. The health of the planet and people everywhere is so interconnected so it’s important for physicians and healthcare professionals to think about health globally and on a planetary level. It’s so important for students to start learning now about the role that healthcare professionals can play in helping to address global health inequities and injustices and in contributing to the transition to more sustainable healthcare system. I love having the chance to work with students who are passionate about these issues and with those who are interested in learning more. It’s also a very collaborative area where I get to work with a lot of partners within and beyond the university and I love having the chance to work in that way. 

Q: What is the biggest challenge in your work?  

A: Global health and planetary health are both really complex and large areas of study and it can be a challenge to know where to focus my energy and how to best make a difference. It can sometimes also be a challenge to know how to best support students to learn more about these areas when they also face the challenge of very full and demanding schedules and course requirements. 

To find out more about about Elise’s work please visit our website.

Planetary Health

Global Health

By Lucy Eum, Resident, Dalhousie Department of Medicine and Outreach Assistant, Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health

I attended the 2024 CASCADES (Creating a Sustainable Canadian Health System in a Climate Crisis) Summer Institute on Sustainable Health Systems in June at the Dalhousie hub. I had the privilege of engaging in insightful panel discussions, participating in collaborative workshops, and exchanging knowledge—all while enjoying some great food. 

We talked about the intricate ways in which different aspects of our healthcare system contribute to environmental sustainability or, conversely, to the climate crisis. It was fascinating to hear about initiatives being implemented across the country and internationally, from reducing energy consumption in hospitals to incorporating more plant-based options in hospital cafeterias. 

We also delved into the ways in which climate change disproportionately affects Indigenous communities, threatening their traditional ways of living and food procurement. This aspect of the institute highlighted the importance of preserving Indigenous knowledge and practices, which are crucial for both cultural survival and environmental stewardship. 

I interacted with people from various backgrounds, including medical trainees at different stages, nurses, and researchers. One participant shared a simple but impactful change they made at home, like using refillable soaps instead of buying more bottles. We also brainstormed micro, meso, and macro-level changes to health systems, such as potential alternatives to glass IV medication bottles and implementing environmentally conscious prescribing practices. Additionally, we discussed how environmental changes could affect specific populations, such as outdoor workers, those requiring home dialysis, the elderly with limited supports, and the homeless, and explored ways to address these challenges. 

Overall, the institute was a great opportunity to learn and be inspired by the work being done to create a more sustainable healthcare system. The experience reminded me that even in a complex system like healthcare, every small effort counts and can contribute to a larger impact. 

“CASCADES is an initiative of four founding partners: the University of Toronto Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care, the Healthy Populations Institute at Dalhousie University, the Planetary Healthcare Lab at the University of British Columbia, and the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care. In Quebec, CASCADES is a partner in the Réseau d’action pour la santé durable du Québec. CASCADES strengthens the capacity of the healthcare community across Canada to transition towards, high-quality, low-carbon, sustainable and climate resilient care. To learn more, visit: https://cascadescanada.ca” 

 

By: Lucy Eum, Outreach Assistant, Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health

Mind the Disruption is a podcast by the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada. It is committed to constructing a healthier, more equitable world. This podcast delves into the intricate fabric of social movements advocating for justice. Now in its second season, the podcast embarks on an exploration of social justice movements.

In its first episode of season two, Mind the Disruption welcomed the guest speakers Dr. Ingrid Waldron, Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global Peace and Social Justice Program at McMaster University, and Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, Associate Dean, Serving and Engaging Society at the Community Partnerships and Global Health Office at Dalhousie University. Dr. Waldron, alongside Dr. Watson-Creed, initiated a compelling dialogue on environmental racism in Nova Scotia. Dr. Waldron’s insights into the Environmental Noxiousness, Racial Inequities & Community Health (ENRICH) project highlighted the importance of collaboration in raising awareness, fostering community empowerment, and engaging political advocates to effect transformative policy changes.

The conversation illuminated the urgency of addressing racial disparities within environmental issues, as Dr. Waldron remarked, “Racial procrastination delays action on systemic racism, in health care, immigration, and more.” These words resonate deeply with me as I also feel the same critical need for immediate action to dismantle systemic inequities in these areas, including medical education.

Contextualizing the significance of this discourse within the broader mission of the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University elucidates its profound impact. With a steadfast commitment to social accountability, the faculty endeavors to serve and uplift communities through its endeavors in research, education, and community engagement. I am looking forward to what the faculty’s next steps will be in social justice movements.

Source: National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health (https://nccdh.ca/learn/podcast/#season_2)

 

By Kianna Mahmoud, Dalhousie Medical student

The following piece was submitted to the 2023 Student Writing Competition that our office hosts each year. While it did not receive a specific award the judges felt it deserved honourable mention and so we share it with you today. The theme of the Student Writing Competition is community engagement and is a celebration of student voice and experiences. Please enjoy these reflections from Kianna.

A Brief History

African Nova Scotian (ANS) history is largely missing from many high-school Curricula around the country. As a result, Canadians are not aware of the historical and carefully planned policies that were targeted at maintaining African Nova Scotians to a subordinate status in Nova Scotia. I encourage anyone unaware of the rich Black Canadian history in the Atlantic to do a deep dive in their own time. Briefly, following the arrival of Mathieu DaCosta, a Black Afro-French explorer in 1604, there were at least four significant waves of migration. The Freed Black Loyalists were the first to arrive in NS in the 17^th century, followed by exiled Jamaican Marrons who built Citadel Hill under conditions of starvation (1796), then freed enslaved Africans during the war of 1812 (Saney, 1999), and the late arrivals domestic workers from the Caribbean (Calliste, 1994). Many of these Black folks, along with others throughout history have settled in 52 Black communities in Nova Scotia and others throughout the Atlantic. Provinces. There were several racist policies and practices aimed at destabilizing the Black home leading to forced migration, harsh living conditions, and inequitable access to education. For example, funding for public education in the Black community was largely non-existent and schools remained segregated until the 1960s; Black people were forced from their generational homes in Africville in the 1960s and placed in densely populated public housing without compensation (although before the demolition of this close-knit community the city refused to provide it with adequate drinking water and garbage disposal). In addition to these racist systemic efforts, ANS represents 2.4% of the province’s population but represents 11%  of admissions in provincial correctional facilities.

Inequitable Education

The Government of Canada’s 4th Sustainable Development Goal is Quality Education. It is well known among the ANS community that students experience an opportunity gap compared to non-ANS students because of historically racist policies and ongoing inequitable practices. However, the experience of Black students in Nova Scotia is not well-known among non-Black people, which perpetuates dominant cultural narratives about Black people, leading to further bias and discrimination. Similar to practices in Ontario (link), Black students in Nova Scotia are inequitably streamlined into non-academic courses, which serve as a large barrier to enrolling into university programs. In addition to streamlining, the lack of cultural safety in the school services, minimal staff representation, and continued stereotyping increase the stress burden on Black students and families. All these practices contribute to a large opportunity gap compared to non-Black students (Hamilton-Hinch, 2021), which limits students’ ability to mobilize upwards in society, escape poverty, reduce inequity and occupy professional spaces.

Resistance, Perseverance and Allies

Despite the continued marginalization and inequitable education experienced by ANS students, numerous community leaders, students, and other key partners continue to unapologetically advocate for better health and wellbeing, as well as dismantle systemic barriers to education. Community organizations advocating for better health outcomes include the Health Association of African Canadians (HAAC and African Nova Scotian Decade for people of African Descent. Academic organizations advocating for better outcomes include Promoting Leadership in Health for African Nova Scotians (PLANS), IMHOTEP Legacy Academy, and the Black Medical Students Association. In addition, the education department has made some changes in the right direction with respect to reducing barriers for Black students and improving cultural safety within schools, like revising the curriculum for Black Canadian students, hiring more student-support workers, providing grants to schools to create culturally safe spaces, requiring all schools to examine data when it comes to achievement, etc. With the determination and hard, yet exhausting, work of community members, Black and other allied groups in Nova Scotia can work towards true equitable education for ANS students, thus increasing the opportunities available for students to increase average family income, mobilize upwards in society, and occupy important positions of power to create real sustainable change.