The fifth International One Health Conference opened in Sousse, Tunisia, bringing together about 200 researchers from 17 countries in person and remotely to examine the relationship between environmental crises and human, animal, and ecosystem health.
The conference, scheduled to run until October 30, is jointly organized by the Universities of Sousse and Monastir under the auspices of the Tunisian Ministries of Higher Education and Scientific Research and of Health. Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Monder Belaid attended the opening ceremony.
This year’s edition is titled “From Environmental Crises to Integral Ecology” and gathers researchers, academics, healthcare professionals, environmental experts, and civil society representatives. Participating countries include Italy, the United States, France, Spain, and Portugal, as well as Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Uganda, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
The program addresses the public health consequences of biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change, with particular attention to interactions between environmental contaminants and the emergence of new diseases. A dedicated session will focus on the international CoSTA research project, conducted with the Italian Universities of Palermo and Messina, on pollutants and associated diseases.
The conference also announced the founding of the One Health World Association, which will have its official headquarters in Italy. Italian Professor Margherita Ferrante has been appointed president, while Tunisian researcher Mohamed Banni, coordinator of the conference, has been named vice president.
The organization will bring together representatives from the Americas, Europe, and Africa and will promote the One Health approach in international scientific forums, with official representation at the United Nations. The One Health approach recognizes the interdependence of human health, animal health, and ecosystem integrity and promotes collaboration across disciplines and institutions to address health and environmental risks.
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