Many months before our travel to Helsinki there was great excitement. The 33rd Alzheimer Europe Conference was sure to be another milestone for our entire European Working Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD) team. Then, it was finally time. Speeches, interviews and texts for the manifesto were prepared and rehearsed. It could start. We were ready. And we had all prepared a lot! The rain and cool temperatures could not dampen our spirits nor the joy of holding each other in person again and sharing our thoughts and stories from the past months. The Opening Ceremony, on 16 October, was a firework display of fantastic speeches and enthusiasm and there was a record number of over 1,100 participants (including 1,000 in person) from 48 countries.
The first plenary session was organised and moderated entirely by the EWGPWD. It put people with dementia in the spotlight. This plenary session, “Transforming personal experiences into political advocacy and public involvement in dementia research” ended with a standing ovations for the Chair Chris Roberts (Wales, United Kingdom) and the four speakers, Kevin Quaid (Ireland), Pia Knudsen (Denmark), Věra Ryšavá (Czech Republic) and Nigel Hullah (Wales, United Kingdom); for their authenticity, their attitudes, their personal accounts and emotions. I was so touched by their speeches. It was incredible, it was wonderful. They thrilled the hall. The four speakers represented our EWGPWD so well. They can all be very proud of themselves. Well done!
In the late afternoon, I gave a speech, titled "Why is the National Dementia Strategy so important? The perspective of a person living with dementia from Germany’", at a session on national dementia strategies. For me, national dementia strategies are indispensable, core elements in the fight against dementia - in every country in Europe and worldwide. We, in Germany, have such a strategy. But, as in almost all European countries, there is still a lot of room for improvement. That's precisely why I was very pleased to be able to give this speech in Helsinki. There is still a lack of strong common political will, joint strategic action and, above all, the necessary financial planning and binding commitments to provide the urgently needed financial resources. We can do better. We must! Several members of the group also spoke at other sessions throughout the conference, including Margaret McCallion (Scotland, United Kingdom), Marguerite Keating (Ireland) and Real Larnou (Belgium).
During the important policy round table in the final plenary session, Chris was brilliant as one of the participants and Petri spoke at several sessions throughout the event, with Finland being his home country. The posters presented were visually impressive and conveyed the complex topics chosen in an understandable way. The speeches, lectures, presentations, meetings and conversations were not only informative but also inspiring. Everyone shared their expertise. The most complex topics were treated with so much enthusiasm and expertise that they will remain anchored in our minds. This is invaluable and will undoubtedly leave a long-lasting impression on all of us.
The EWGPWD team was able to contribute in a variety of ways with our own experiences, perspectives and concentrated knowledge and actively participate in the organisation of the Conference. The group plays a crucial and indispensable role at European level in actively representing the perspectives of people with dementia. All of this together has made Helsinki a place of lively learning and exchange and made the event very special. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone for the incredible support before, during and after our wonderful and so meaningful conference in Helsinki. It was an unforgettable journey together and I am so grateful to be part of this remarkable community and am already looking forward to many more great projects and tasks. With this in mind, see you again at the 34th Alzheimer Europe Conference in Switzerland in 2024!
