Brussels, 10 December 2024 – Today, the first edition of “European Parliament Dementia Day” is taking place in Brussels, organised by Alzheimer Europe and bringing together Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) with representatives of Alzheimer’s associations from across Europe, as well as people with lived experience of dementia.
Dementia Day is the culmination of the European Election Campaign 2024 “Dementia Needs EU” which was launched by Alzheimer Europe and its national member associations at the start of the year and which is based on the principles of the Helsinki Manifesto. The campaign has seen 83 European and national organisations endorse the Helsinki Manifesto, over 7,500 individuals sign Alzheimer Europe’s Call to Action, and 79 MEPs join the European Alzheimer’s Alliance (EAA).
On this important day, representatives of national Alzheimer’s associations, members of the European Working Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD) and European Dementia Carers Working Group (EDCWG) will have the opportunity to talk to their MEPs, to give an update on the context of dementia at a national level and present Alzheimer Europe’s call to see dementia recognised as a priority in the European Union health and research programmes, as well as in European social and disability policies.
A series of meetings is being held in and around the Parliament in Brussels on Dementia Day, including a European Parliament Lunch Debate on the topic of dementia research as a European priority, hosted by Tilly Metz MEP (Luxembourg, Greens/European Free Alliance), Co-Chair of the EAA, and a special award ceremony in the evening, where Alzheimer Europe and the Alzheimer Europe Foundation will announce the winner and the runners-up of their third annual Anti-Stigma Award. These awards will go to three European journalists for news stories or documentaries addressing the stigma attached to dementia.
The various meetings taking place on European Parliament Dementia Day are being attended by MEPs and their representatives hailing from Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovenia and Spain and we would like to thank each and every one of the MEPs involved for supporting our work and for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend and to meet with their national Alzheimer’s associations, as well as people with lived experience of dementia. They are:
- Nina Carberry MEP (EPP, Ireland), Co-Chair of the EAA
- Ondřej Dostál MEP (NI, Czechia), member of the EAA
- Romana Jerković MEP (S&D, Croatia), Co-Chair of the EAA
- Billy Kelleher MEP (Renew, Ireland), member of the EAA
- András Tivadar Kulja MEP (EPP, Hungary), member of the EAA
- Tilly Metz MEP (Greens/EFA, Luxembourg), Co-Chair of the EAA
- Ciaran Mulloly MEP (Renew, Ireland)
- Elena Nevado del Campo MEP (EPP, Spain), represented
- Nikos Papandreou MEP (S&D, Greece), member of the EAA
- Vladimir Prebilič MEP (Greens/EFA, Slovenia), member of the EAA
- Hilde Vautmans MEP (Renew, Belgium), Co-Chair of the EAA
- Isabel Wiseler-Lima MEP (EPP, Luxembourg), member of the EAA
- Tomáš Zdechovský, MEP (EPP, Czechia), member of the EAA.
For further information, contact:
Jean Georges, Executive Director, Alzheimer Europe, 5, Heienhaff, L-1736 Luxembourg, Tel.: +352-29 79 70, Fax: +352-29 79 72, jean.georges@alzheimer-europe.org
Further reading:
The Helsinki Manifesto – An outline of the current situation in relation to dementia across Europe, detailing specific demands for the European Commission and national governments. The Manifesto will be the basis of Alzheimer Europe’s campaign work in the coming years. It is divided into the following policy areas: Health, Research, Disability and social rights, Support for informal carers. 83 European and national organisations have endorsed the Manifesto.
https://bit.ly/AEHelsinkiManifesto
The public Call to Action – A call demanding that European decision-makers prioritise dementia as a policy issue and implement the actions of the Helsinki Manifesto. Members of the public were actively encouraged to sign the call. 7,535 individuals have signed the Call.
https://bit.ly/AECallToAction2024
The Dementia Pledge 2024 – A commitment which candidates standing for the European Parliament elections were invited to sign, pledging to prioritise dementia in the areas of health, research, disability policy and informal carers. 304 candidates signed the pledge prior to the elections in June. This led to the 2024-2029 European Alzheimer’s Alliance (EAA) being launched on World Alzheimer’s Day (21 September) with 75 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from 21 countries and seven political groups. Four more have since joined, meaning the EAA now has 79 members.
https://bit.ly/DementiaPledge2024
Notes to editors:
Alzheimer Europe is the umbrella organisation of national Alzheimer associations and currently has 41 member organisations in 36 European countries.
https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/
The European Alzheimer’s Alliance (EAA) has been active in the European Parliament since 2007. It is a non-exclusive, multinational and cross-party group that brings together MEPs supporting the campaign of Alzheimer Europe and its members to make dementia a public health and research priority in Europe. The EAA currently has 79 members from 21 countries. MEPs can join the EAA at any time, by contacting Alzheimer Europe.
https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/policy/european-alzheimers-alliance