SOPHE’s 76th Annual Conference

This conference celebrates SOPHE’s 75 years of growth, achievement, and impact, yet calls for a future focus on health education’s strategic role in addressing global public health crises. Historic winds and waves of change in political, legal, social, and other structures are impacting the environment, mental health, violence, and many other areas of society—threatening our goal of achieving the highest standard of health as a fundamental right of all people. This conference celebrates SOPHE’s 75 years of growth, achievement, and impact, yet calls for a future focus on health education’s strategic role in addressing global public health crises.

Historic winds and waves of change in political, legal, social, and other structures are impacting the environment, mental health, violence, and many other areas of society—threatening our goal of achieving the highest standard of health as a fundamental right of all people. A knowledgeable, skilled health education workforce is needed to lead the public and private sectors in addressing social determinants of health, social justice, and health equity. Professional preparation and training programs also must ensure that health education specialists are equipped with the technological, multi-media and communication skills to develop, implement, and evaluate effective program interventions to reach diverse multi-cultural populations. At this pivotal moment in SOPHE’s history, we must build on the lessons learned from the pandemic and other public health crises to chart a new path for a healthier, more equitable, and vibrant future for all populations.