ADN Special Sessions Update
By Ms Kelly Litsoung
Between December 2024 and December 2025, the Avoidable Deaths Network held seven Special Sessions webinars, five side events at a major conference, and launched two magazines, engaging over 637 registered participants and featuring 50 speakers from across the world.
The sessions covered a variety of topics, including anti-racism, emergency medicine, drowning prevention, snakebite awareness, youth engagement, microplastic pollution, climate-related loss and damage, and the synergies between climate action and DRR.
Participant feedback highlighted the sessions’ impact and inclusivity. Attendees described the presentations as “insightful,” “excellent,” and “informative,” with one remarking;
“I am glad I have joined this webinar. It is so informative.”
Others praised the youth-focused initiatives, sharing sentiments such as;
“Thank you for lifting your voices around important issues in powerful ways,” and “Many thanks for sharing these stories! They are powerful and very glad we can share this magazine with others to help spread awareness.”
Environmental and community-focused discussions also elicited thoughtful responses, including:
“Thank you for the interesting session,” “Great session! Thank you all,” and “There is remarkable local action, but unfortunately, it is isolated. There is little effort to highlight these positive practices for wider replication.”
Several new participants expressed enthusiasm for future engagement, with one noting,
“This is a great session, and being a first-time attendee, how can I join the network and learn more from the network?”
These valuable insights from participants demonstrate the impact of ADN’s special sessions.