European Health Forum Gastein (EuroHealthNet speaking)

The 2025 European Health Forum Gastein's theme was 'Rethinking solidarity in health: healing Europe’s fractured social contract.'

The social contract is a shared understanding that binds individuals, families, communities, workplaces, and institutions. It underpins the cohesion of societies through mutual obligations, such as caregiving, paying taxes, and supporting public services. Solidarity, a key component of this contract, is essential for collective well-being. However, in today’s polarised world, this social contract is under threat due to politicised immigration, disinformation, and a disconnect between people and politics. To restore trust and solidarity, the healing process must begin within the health sector, which is uniquely positioned to address these issues.

EuroHealthNet actively participated in the conference, speaking at multiple sessions on solidarity, health, and public policy. These included:

• Session 4: Social, green, and arts prescriptions for health: Harnessing the power of community interventions for well-being. This session was organised by the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being in collaboration with EuroHealthNet. The discussion spotlighted evidence-based strategies to scale non-medical approaches across Europe. It also examined how such interventions can rebuild trust, foster inclusion, and promote sustainability in health.
  • A recording of the session has been made available.
• Session 6: Climate change and health inequalities: Protecting the health of the most vulnerable from climate threats. EuroHealthNet spoke at this session, which explored how climate change amplifies individual and collective vulnerabilities and increases health-related pressures across different local communities and healthcare systems, in order to understand the course of action needed to reduce impacts in vulnerable groups.
  • The session was covered in the European Environment and Health Process Newsletter.
  • A recording of the session has been made available.
• Session 16: Health for people in vulnerable situations: New approaches to tackling health and inequality in the European social pillar: This workshop was moderated by EuroHealthNet, exploring how to strengthen the implementation of Principle 16 of the European Pillar of Social Rights on access to healthcare, to reduce health inequalities throughout Europe.
  • Co-organiser DEFACTUM summarised the discussion in a report, formulating recommendations for the EPSR action plan and especially the implementation of Principle 16 on the right to healthcare.
  • A recording of the session of the session has been made available.