Christos Tsagkaris

Conference 2022 Hot-Doc Presentation

 

Video title

The European Student Think Tank and its working group on public health and policy: from the societal bench to parliament

 

Authors and Affiliations

Christos Tsagkaris1, Dimitrios V. Moysidis1, Andreas S. Papazoglou1, Anna Loudovikou1, Ekin Dagistan1, Sai Teja1

1. European Student Think Tank, Public Health and Policy Working Group, 1058 Amsterdam, Netherlands

 

Abstract

Background

The European Student Think Tank is an International Organization that involves young people in the European policy-making process and promotes the values of the European Union and Human Rights. Run by young people and for young people, it organizes events across EU institutions, analyzes European affairs and works with a network of Ambassadors to the organization, who represent the EST across Europe.

Methods

The EST was founded in 2010 and has been growing over the years. It is currently present in the 5 continents, formed by more than 100 members, and counts with more than 30 nationalities. The EST Working Groups (WG) conduct research on Environment, Security and Defense, Gender Equality, Youth Employment, Migration and Public Policy and Health. The Public Health and Policy WG was initiated during the 2020 term in an effort to structure the EST’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Results

Even before forming the WG, the editorial office of the EST has monitored the first months of the pandemic through a series of events and synergies leveraging the voice of young people and elaborating on the impact of the pandemic on their personal, academic and professional lives. During the 2020-2021 term, the Public Health and Policy WG conducted a survey on COVID-19 vaccination and created infographics on less known aspects of the pandemic. The EST as a whole joined a consortium of major public and global health bodies addressing a letter advocating in favor of equal access to COVID-19 vaccines to the G7 and the G20 Summits. At the same time, the organization partnered with health oriented NGOs and co-organized a debate judged by EU-level public health experts and a session about Space Medicine in a NASA hackathon among others.

Conclusions

In October 2021, the EST was represented in the European Youth Event, in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, France. Since November 2021, the Public Health and Policy WG has joined a youth consultation of the WHO discussing the role of you in the End Tuberculosis (#EndTB) WHO campaign. Overall, the EST and its multinational Public Health and Policy WG strive to connect the dots between evidence, society, the youth and the European stakeholders.