Sanja Šišović represents YHO at World Heart Summit in Geneva
At the 11th World Heart Summit, YHO was represented by our President Sanja Šišović, who took part in the session
“Next Generation and Action”, organized by the World Heart Federation.
The “Next Generation and Action” session focused on youth leadership in health and explored how emerging global challenges, including climate change, mental health, poverty, conflict, and growing inequalities are reshaping public health priorities and cardiovascular health. Speaking from the perspective of youth health advocacy, Sanja emphasized that empowering young people must go beyond asking them to be resilient or to make healthier choices. She highlighted that young people are increasingly expected to carry the responsibility for change, while often living in environments shaped by crisis, uncertainty and unequal access to opportunities and support.
“Is it really enough to say to young people to be resilient and make healthy choices, when conflict, poverty, rising costs and multiple crises are all around us?”
Her key message was that health cannot be separated from the social, economic and environmental conditions in which young people live. Mental health, cardiovascular health, nutrition, physical activity and wellbeing are deeply influenced by social determinants of health, including poverty, education, housing, digital pressure, food environments, climate insecurity and access to youth-friendly services.
Sanja underlined that young people have agency, but that responsibility must be shared with systems and institutions.
“Healthy choices require healthy environments. We cannot place the full burden of prevention on young people while ignoring the systems that shape their everyday lives.”
The discussion also reflected on the need to move from symbolic youth consultation towards meaningful youth participation in health governance. Sanja stressed that youth organizations should not only be invited to share their views after decisions have already been shaped, but should have a permanent and meaningful role in designing, implementing and monitoring health policies.
For YHO, participation at the World Heart Summit was an important opportunity to reinforce a central message: the future of health must be built with young people, not only for them.
