From 13 to 15 April 2026, ICU, together with AIFO, participated in the International Workshop “Strengthening Capacities to Adopt One Health to Enhance Health Security”, organized by the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) – National Center for Global Health, in collaboration with the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Netherlands, and with the support of international partners.
The initiative took place within the framework of the project: “Arboviral and zoonotic diseases in Libya: A joint WHO-ISS intervention to mitigate threats using the One Health approach”, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
The event brought together institutions, UN agencies, research centers, and government representatives from Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East to discuss how to strengthen One Health strategies and improve the prevention of emerging health threats at the human-animal interface, including zoonotic diseases and arboviruses.
In this context, ICU and AIFO were the only civil society organizations represented, bringing a practical, field-based perspective that is often underrepresented in institutional discussions.
During the workshop, ICU highlighted a dimension that is still marginal in the international debate: the connection between planetary health, human health, and animal health. While discussions largely focused on public health and veterinary issues, the need to more systematically integrate environmental factors and the impacts of climate change clearly emerged.
ICU’s participation reaffirmed the importance of promoting a truly effective, inclusive, and multisectoral One Health approach, while recognizing the key role of civil society in connecting global policies with the real needs of local communities.
