This year’s Global Health Summer School will therefore focus on trauma, empowerment and the right to health in the context of forced displacement and flight. Throughout our programme, we encourage an intersectional and emancipatory perspective. We will gain insights into global health architecture and its interplay with migration politics. Academic debates on trauma, resilience and healing that consider the role of culture, society and politics will be discussed. We will ask how human rights based and decolonial approaches to trauma and psychosocial work change the way we think about violence and health. To do this we will juxtapose the lived experiences of migrant people and refugees with critiques of border regimes and asylum systems of the Global North. The concept of “necropower” may help us to better understand the processes exacerbating the potential for death and the racialised targeting of “immigrant bodies”. We will attempt to put our reflections to use as health professionals, researchers and/or activists fighting for human rights and health equity.

Based on a process-oriented and trauma-sensitive approach in itself, the summer school aims to create a space for global learning in which everybody feels safe, acknowledged and in control of their learning experience. We will follow the methodology of trauma-sensitive classrooms and provide significant space for individual reflection, interpersonal exchange, bodily exercises, breaks and nurturing activities.

In the Global Health Summer, students and practitioners from various countries participate in dialogue with professionals and activists from diverse backgrounds in order to examine problems and discuss potential solutions. We focus on how we, as health professionals and political activists, can have a positive impact in attaining health for all.

I had the privilege of being a part of the Global Health Summer School 2023 in Germany, and I must say it was an absolutely incredible experience. The opportunity to immerse myself in a deep dive into global health, intersectionality, and the devastating effects of violent conflicts on the health of ordinary people was eye-opening. One of the highlights for me was witnessing the dedication and hard work that some of my fellow participants had poured into creating and delivering workshops. It was truly inspiring to see such passionate individuals coming together to share their knowledge and insights.

Ashim - medical doctor at Kathmandu Hospital, Nepal

The Global Health Summer School was an amazing opportunity to connect with other young people and activists interested in the field of global health, to learn more about decoloniality, global health and how it differs from international health, and discuss current policies. I had a lot of fun and got inspired how to become more active in this field in the future.

Kristin - student of peace and conflict studies at Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany

As a team we had the opportunity to agree and disagree , reshape and give new meaning and definitions towards, global health , violence and health as well as peace and health which were more elaborated by the speakers we had throughout the week. The summer school was a great experience.

Nancy - medical student at the University of Lusaka, Zambia

I especially sense a lot of tension on this thin line between the desire to change, help and to build peace whilst trying not to inflict any more harm than our western lifestyle already afflicts on our friends in the global south. These tensions are sometimes hardly bearable. And yet, I see hope for change in the tones in between, because this is where the potential lies to build new relationships that can bring change. The summer school serves as a good example, because we got to know each and learned from each other.

Jonathan - medical student at the University of Halle (Saalae), Germany

The summer school took place in September 2023 at Refugio in Berlin. It was opened by a one-day conference organised by IPPNW and medico international.

During the summer school we looked at the intersections between health, peace and human rights and asked ourselves: what kind of security can ensure well-being and a good life for all in the 21st century? A feminist and intersectional perspective guided us in seeking solutions.

During the week-long course we learned with and from each other: students and young activists from various countries, fields of studies and social movements came together. We approached the topics through inputs, workshops, small-group discussions, a fish-bowl and a playback theatre performance. The participant’s workshops formed a major part of the programme, focussing on the expertise and topics of interest to the people present at the summer school. Equally important was our process-oriented approach to learning. We believe that strengthening agency and critical connections between people is crucial to overcome the fragmentation effects of violence and to build solidarity. We therefore tried to allow time for reflection, sharing of experiences and also an emotional response to the heavy topics under discussion.

See here for more information on the thematic focus and the programme of this year’s summer school.