Between 31 August and 4 September, Alzheimer Europe held an exhibition in the European Parliament under the title “Alzheimer Europe: Shaping Europe’s response to dementia”.
During the exhibition, Alzheimer Europe presented posters on the current state of dementia across Europe, highlighting issues including the prevalence of the condition, emerging treatments and developments in policy. In addition, panels featured information on Alzheimer Europe, the European Working Group of People with Dementia, the European Dementia Carers Working Group, as well as an overview of the Anti-Stigma Award. The key objectives for the event were to:
Raise awareness of dementia prevalence and impact.
Showcase developments over the past decade, as well as ongoing actions and developments in the dementia field, including at the European and national level.
Highlight continuing gaps, challenges and inequalities.
Present clear recommendations for EU policymakers.
Encourage political commitment and action.
The target audience was primarily Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), European Parliament staff and visitors, with whom we shared information and knowledge, whilst exploring opportunities for collaboration to prioritise dementia at an EU level.
In addition to the posters on display during the exhibition, a screen displayed interactive maps and displays of the prevalence of dementia in Europe, as well as videos of the European Working Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD) and the European Dementia Carers Working Group (EDCWG) Working Groups explaining why dementia should be prioritised as a policy matter. Alzheimer Europe distributed copies of “The Prevalence of Dementia in Europe 2025” report, brochures of the posters and edition 51 of the Dementia in Europe Magazine.
Additionally, Alzheimer Europe created “pledge cards” for MEPs to sign, which indicated their support for prioritising dementia at an EU level, as well as capturing specific actions to advance dementia as a policy priority.
Throughout the exhibition, the intention was to convey a set of core messages, central to Alzheimer Europe’s public policy work. The intention was to build on the work of Alzheimer Europe’s #DementiaNeedsEU campaign, which was launched during the European Parliament Elections in 2024. In doing so, Alzheimer Europe’s messages and calls to action remained consistent, whilst incorporating the latest context and information e.g. updated prevalence figures, developments in anti-amyloid treatments. Taken together, the key messages of the event were:
Dementia is one of Europe's most significant health and societal challenges, with the number of people affected expected to rise significantly in the coming decades.
Policy decisions have a direct impact on the lives of people living with dementia and their carers.
Early diagnosis, equitable access to support and dementia-inclusive communities improve quality of life.
Initiatives to combat the stigma and negative perceptions associated with dementia improve understanding of the condition and improve the lives of people living with dementia.
Collaboration between European-level institutions, national governments and communities is essential to address current and future challenges.
Continued political commitment is needed to ensure dementia remains a priority within European policy.
To officially mark the launch of the exhibition, on the evening of 1 September, a reception was hosted by Nina Carberry MEP (EPP, Ireland). This was attended by around 90 people, including national member associations, people with lived experience and industry partners, with 13 MEPs in attendance.
Speakers at the reception included MEP Carberry, Kevin Quaid, Chair of the EWGPWD, Trevor Salomon, Chair of the EDCWG, Jordan Adams, one of the “FTD brothers” and Jean Georges, Executive Director, Alzheimer Europe.
Contributions were also heard from MEPs: Ondřej Dostal (NI, Czechia), Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA, Luxembourg), Sirpa Pietikainen (EPP, Finland), Vladimir Prebilič (Greens/EFA, Slovenia), Tomislav Sokol (EPP, Croatia), Michal Szczerba (EPP, Poland) and Kristian Vigenin (S&D, Bulgaria).
Following the speeches, attendees were invited to explore the exhibition and to network.
We are very grateful to Nina Carberry MEP (EPP, Ireland) and her staff for their support, without which the exhibition would not have been possible.
Further information on the exhibition is available at: https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/european-parliament-exhibition
Click here to download our special exhibition booklet: https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/sites/default/files/2026-08/european_parliament_exhibition_booklet.pdf
