Translating Evidence Into Policy & Practice Through Strategic Public Health Communication

JA PreventNCD, WHO Regional Office for Europe and JACARDI are joining forces for a one-and-a-half-day capacity-building event focused on how strategic public health communication can help translate evidence into policy and practice.

Public health initiatives produce valuable evidence, tools, recommendations and implementation experience. But their potential impact depends on whether this evidence reaches the right policymakers, at the right time, in a clear, credible and actionable form.

The event will bring together communication professionals and subject-matter experts working in public health to explore how they can work more strategically with policymakers, develop policy-relevant messages and communication products, and plan targeted engagement and outreach.

Date: Tuesday–Wednesday, 6–7 October 2026

Time: Tuesday 12:30–17:00; Wednesday 09:00–16:00

Format: In person

Venue: UN City, Copenhagen

Organised by: WHO Regional Office for Europe, JA PreventNCD and JACARDI

The event aims to strengthen participants' capacity to translate public health evidence, findings and outputs into clear and actionable policy messages and communication products.

Through practical sessions, examples and peer exchange, participants will explore how to identify and understand policymaker audiences, recognise opportunities for engagement, define clear policy asks and communicate technical or scientific information in ways that respond to real policy needs.

The event will also consider how communication products can be connected with direct policymaker engagement, stakeholder networks, events and other outreach activities, as well as the importance of purposeful follow-up beyond publication.

Effective public health communication should also support inclusive decision-making. The programme will therefore consider how people with lived experience and communities affected by policy decisions can be meaningfully involved in communication and policy processes.

The programme will explore how to:

• identify and understand relevant policymaker audiences
• understand the policy context and recognise opportunities for engagement
• engage policymakers early and, where appropriate, involve them in shaping communication products and outreach
• define clear, realistic and actionable policy asks
• translate technical and scientific outputs into concise, policy-relevant messages
• select appropriate policy-facing communication products for different audiences and purposes, including policy briefs
• choose appropriate communication channels and credible messengers
• connect communication products with meetings, stakeholder networks, events and direct outreach
• plan engagement, dissemination and follow-up beyond publication
• strengthen collaboration between communication professionals, subject-matter experts and other relevant partners
• meaningfully involve people with lived experience and relevant communities in policy communication and decision-making

The programme will also provide opportunities for networking, peer exchange and learning from public health organisations, programmes and initiatives working in different contexts.

The event is intended for communication professionals and subject-matter experts working in public health, including representatives from:

• WHO
• Joint Actions and other European public health initiatives
• ministries of health
• public health institutes
• research organisations
• other organisations and initiatives working at the science-policy interface

It will be particularly relevant for professionals involved in policy-facing communication, stakeholder engagement, dissemination of public health evidence and outputs, policymaker outreach, events and webinars, campaigns, and strategic communication planning.

Further registration information will be provided shortly.

The detailed agenda is currently being finalised and will be published in the coming days.

The programme will combine practical guidance and examples with opportunities for discussion, networking and peer exchange across organisations and countries.

Participants will leave the event with practical approaches and tools for making public health evidence more visible, relevant and actionable for policymakers.

Expected outcomes include:

• a clearer understanding of how strategic communication and engagement can support policy impact
• practical approaches for developing policy-facing messages and communication products
• a better understanding of how to identify, approach and work effectively with policymakers
• a simple framework for planning targeted policymaker outreach
• practical guidance on selecting formats, channels and messengers for different audiences and objectives
• practical guidance on collaborating with people with lived experience
• new connections and opportunities for continued peer exchange with public health professionals across Europe

Registration details will be published shortly.

For questions about the event, please contact [email protected].