Day 1 of the 2023 NNN Conference, One Health Society from Tanzania and the Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network (NNN) held a collaborative Storytelling Lab for NTDs where young artists, performers and advocates shared their stories of their fight against NTDs, highlighting struggles, motivation and hopes for the future.
The lab explored new mediums of storytelling that can be adapted in communications. Instead of only relying on traditional communication practices and strategies, the 1-hour session focused on different forms of communication, such as dance, music and spoken word. Throughout the session, youths inspired members and delegates to continue to engage in new and changing ways of sharing messages that highlight the need and urgency to take action against NTDs.
The session featured the Educate Arts Group of Tanzania who presented a cultural dance on the burden of NTDs and the collaborative effort requires to end Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs). This was followed by Gloria Swilla’s and Christiner Haule’s poetry on mental health and the devastating consequences of poor mental health. We also had presentations from Papa Momar, Program Officer from Speak Up Africa on Youth Leadership Initiative in Senegal. Following the presentations, all artists sat down for a discussion on what inspired them to talk about NTDs through their different artforms.
In keeping with the 2023 conference theme of “Reaching new frontiers - powering a new generation of leadership and cross-sectoral collaborations to end NTDs,” NNN conference 2023 hosted two youth-led special events to highlight the importance of youth and young professional voices to the NTD movement. Young professionals challenged the conference delegates to think outside the box through poetry slams, panel discussions, interpretive dances, and public pledges of our commitment to beat NTDs.
With 365 in-person delegates and 95 delegates online representing 54 countries and 206 organizations, the mood at the conference was one of camaraderie, celebration, and a sense of belonging. This was all made possible with the support of 23 sponsors who helped to achieve a record level of funding for the conference. At the end of three days of sharing, storytelling, and communing, NNN committed to: (i) Enhancing partnerships and regional networks – between governments, international organizations, academia, the private sector, and civil society to end suffering from end Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs), (ii) Recognizing and valuing the pivotal role youth and young professionals play in the fight against NTDs Fostering a new generation of change makers in the fight against NTDs.
Source: Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network (Conference Report 2023)
