The 2025 Intergenerational Dialogue on AMR was a key initiative in the Health Diplomacy Alliance 7-7-7 Campaign during World AMR Awareness Week that highlighted seven actions on AMR led by seven stakeholder groups through seven days in the week.
The dialogue built on global momentum amplified youth perspectives through findings from a pre-event survey that seeked to understand their initiatives, concerns, and solutions towards an inclusive global governance on AMR, promote cross-generational exchanges on effective solutions, foster capacity-building and partnership, especially in last-mile settings, and develop actionable recommendations to embed inclusive engagement and health diplomacy within the global instruments governing AMR response grounded in a One Health approach.
Diana Rizzolio, Coordinator of the Geneva Environmental Network, opened the session by conveying warm greetings and setting the stage for the dialogue. She welcomed participants, framed the significance of the exchange, and underscored the value of bringing diverse voices together. In concluding her introduction, she invited the audience to turn their attention to the next speaker and formally introduced Katherine Urbáez.
Katherine Urbáez, Executive Director of the Health Diplomacy Alliance, offered her opening remarks by outlining the purpose and spirit of the gathering. She described the AMR Week 7-7-7 Campaign, explaining how it showcased seven core actions from seven stakeholder groups across the seven days of the week. She noted that the Health Diplomacy Alliance highlighted AMR efforts in Geneva, online, and through hybrid formats, all while prioritizing engagement with global audiences in a multilingual, cross-sectoral, and intergenerational way. She walked participants through the key initiatives of the campaign, including the display of campaign and HDA flags on the Pont du Mont Blanc; an awareness stand at Geneva’s main train station, Gare Cornavin, featuring messages and activities from multiple supporting organizations; a social media effort spotlighting contributions from diverse global actors alongside the seven key actions on AMR; and the blue illumination of the Jet d’Eau at the center of Lac Léman. She concluded by underscoring the core aim of the campaign: to involve every category of stakeholder, bridge generations, and ensure the broadest possible diversity in AMR awareness and action.
Bill Whilson A. Baljon, Working Group Liaison of the Health Diplomacy Youth Network, presented outcomes and key messages from the pre event youth survey on AMR. He outlined three clear priority areas guiding youth perspectives on AMR. He emphasized the need to strengthen education and awareness efforts, expand surveillance and data-sharing mechanisms, and regulate antibiotic use more effectively, particularly within agriculture and livestock systems. He noted that young people unmistakably want to be part of the solution, and the wide range of activities they are eager to pursue—research, awareness initiatives, international negotiations, and digital advocacy—reflects their strong drive to contribute. He highlighted that this momentum reveals substantial potential at the global level, where youth feel more genuinely included and more encouraged to participate than they do within local or national settings.
H.E. Amb. Fernando Lugris, Member of the Global Leaders Group on AMR and Ambassador of Uruguay, delivered the keynote address by presenting Uruguay’s stance on advancing national efforts against AMR and strengthening support for youth. He described how Uruguay marks AMR Awareness Week by convening institutions working across the issue to demonstrate ongoing progress. He affirmed that AMR remains a pressing challenge with far-reaching effects across health systems and the environment, stressing that “it is time to turn commitments into concrete actions.” He explained that Uruguay invests across multiple sectors—vaccines, pharmaceuticals, research, and veterinary sciences—to reinforce national readiness. He emphasized the value of collaboration between academia and government ministries, including partnerships with the Caribbean region, and underscored the significance of empowering young people in schools and universities. He encouraged stronger implementation of AMR action plans and noted the need for greater investment in diagnostics, innovation, and policymaking. He concluded by stressing that it is essential to ensure that future generations inherit a world safeguarded from the escalating risks posed by AMR.
Ms Jacqueline Alvarez emphasized that very few people recognize AMR as an environmental concern or understand the reasons behind it. She framed her remarks within the context of the triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—explaining how rising temperatures heighten disease risks, and greater disease burdens intensify AMR. She noted that extreme weather events similarly exacerbate the issue, while shifts in soil health and biodiversity reveal the emergence and spread of resistance even when it cannot be directly observed. She underscored priority actions: strengthening governance, legislation, and regulatory frameworks; expanding knowledge and evidence through research to better understand the problem without delaying action, since resistant genes are already present in the environment; and maintaining a focus on prevention, where small steps can yield significant impact. She added that healthcare facilities pose major challenges and stressed that, for UNEP, children and youth are essential partners, as the rapid spread of information among younger generations is key to delivering the right messages.
Ms Prothoma Kalidaha explained the intrinsic link between animal welfare and AMR, noting that animals fall sick more easily when their conditions are inadequate, resulting in heavier antibiotic use. She emphasized that promoting proper welfare is already a strong step toward ensuring healthier animals. She highlighted that even as students, young people can contribute meaningfully through awareness and action, particularly in regions where antibiotics are perceived as the quickest solution, making education vital. She pointed out that research is an area where young and undergraduate students can already participate. She also acknowledged persistent challenges, including the shortage of qualified veterinarians—especially in rural areas—which leads communities to rely on less qualified and cheaper alternatives. She closed by stressing that together, young professionals can make a real impact through prevention and by strengthening One Health, which she described as the most important point.
Dr Jean Pierre Nyemazi highlighted the significance of the independent panel and affirmed that youth have been engaged as key stakeholders in its work. He explained that AMR becomes easier to address when coordination exists across all sectors and communities. He stressed that young people are not only beneficiaries but critical actors; therefore, early-career inclusion in AMR dialogue is essential. He noted that youth must be better represented at the national level, where they are often under-included, and emphasized that efforts must continue to expand their presence. He added that youth participation is needed in implementation as well, emphasizing that at every level, young people are indispensable.
Simeon Peter explained that Pacific Island countries remain under-resourced in combating AMR, particularly regarding surveillance capacity. He underscored the need for increased laboratory personnel and expanded stewardship training. He noted that a Fleming Fund country grant supported by the Australian government is helping to build laboratory and hospital capacity for surveillance data, which in turn is used to design tailored programs to confront AMR challenges. He added that governments in the region are implementing WHO recommendations to develop national AMR plans. He emphasized that regulatory challenges significantly impact pharmaceutical supply chains, with a portion of imported drugs in Papua New Guinea being substandard, and noted that these medicines are sold over the counter and sometimes even on the streets rather than through pharmacies.
Dr Karina Khatic affirmed that young people are increasingly receiving opportunities, platforms, and recognition as champions working on AMR. She emphasized that young researchers studying AMR require support to synthesize evidence across One Health dimensions. She stressed that youth should play a role in the implementation of global action plans and other instruments guiding AMR responses.
Dominique Burgeon emphasized the deep connection between food security and AMR, noting that misuse in agriculture and livestock production threatens human, animal, and environmental health, and ultimately the safety of the whole supply chain. He outlined the FAO action plan on AMR, which focuses on reducing unnecessary antimicrobial use in crops, livestock, and aquaculture; promoting good farming practices; improving biosecurity; and encouraging alternatives such as vaccines and probiotics. He described FAO’s commitment to strengthening global antimicrobial surveillance through InFARM, which monitors antimicrobial use worldwide. He highlighted the RENOFARM initiative and its 5Gs—good health services, good production services, good alternatives, good connections, and good incentives—designed to help farmers enhance animal health and productivity safely and sustainably without relying on antibiotics. He noted FAO’s close collaboration with WHO, WOAH, and UNEP to align strategies and support countries implementing National Action Plans, alongside engagement with the Multistakeholder Partnership Platform to coordinate collective efforts. He emphasized representative participation and a whole-of-society approach involving farmers, veterinarians, food processors, policymakers, researchers, and communities. He added that governments are crucial for setting targets and sharing data transparently; smallholders need incentives and technical support to adopt improved practices; the private sector can invest in stewardship programs; and civil society can raise awareness and shift behaviors.
Dr Duha Shellah described AMR as a daily reality in places experiencing prolonged conflict, where conditions that perpetuate resistance occur simultaneously—overcrowded shelters, damaged water and sanitation systems, shortages of essential antibiotics, and disrupted diagnostic and surveillance capacity. She detailed how the collapse of laboratory and clinical services restricts treatment options and complicates management for frontline young professionals. She noted that disrupted supply chains allow substandard and unregulated antibiotics to circulate, fueling resistance, while overcrowding accelerates infection transmission, including drug-resistant organisms, in environments with limited infection-control resources. She explained that data collection becomes fragmented, surveillance systems collapse, and access to laboratories narrows, creating a gap between the true AMR burden and what appears in national or global reports. She highlighted that youth-led networks are promoting safe antibiotic use, young researchers are contributing to community mapping and real-time recommendations, and youth volunteers are bridging health facilities and communities through triage and last-mile health education. She emphasized that experienced leaders provide strategic insight while youth mobilize on the ground, making intergenerational collaboration essential to AMR response. She concluded by stating that AMR must be integrated into emergency response plans, and that ensuring reliable access to quality-assured antibiotics and diagnostics, training frontline professionals in stewardship, strengthening surveillance capacity, and investing in youth-led efforts are critical.
Eleanor Fonji emphasized the importance of informing and educating pharmacists and healthcare practitioners about how their actions influence AMR, paired with intervention training to strengthen stewardship practices. She explained that regularly updating knowledge through presentations on new developments and research is an effective educational approach. She noted that pharmacists contribute by reviewing antibiotic prescriptions in a timely manner, optimizing dosing, supporting clinicians with updated antimicrobial-therapy guidelines, and participating in case reviews and ward rounds. She stressed that stewardship is a collective responsibility in which all healthcare professionals understand the role they play in safeguarding antibiotics.
Javier Yugueros-Marcos explained that veterinary communities worldwide have faced around one hundred disease outbreaks in the past six months and emphasized that AMR stems from weak animal health systems, making their strengthening essential for veterinarians managing daily challenges. He described WOAH’s advocacy through bilateral engagement with Chief Veterinary Officers and regional conferences, supported by awareness campaigns. He highlighted the positive momentum within the animal-health community, noting that antimicrobial use in animals has shown a downward trend over the years. He referred to a 2024 WOAH economic study revealing that countries permitting antimicrobials as growth promoters use 45% more antimicrobials than countries that restrict such use. He emphasized that awareness, surveillance, and regulation are central to reducing AMR and noted that the youth pre-event survey aligns with these priorities. He mentioned that WOAH has created informative leaflets to translate complex UN political-declaration language into actionable steps for veterinarians. He emphasized the need to understand the planet as shared by humans and other animals, highlighting the interconnectedness and spillover potential between ecosystems. He stressed that education is a first priority to sensitize children to ecological interdependence, social responsibility, and AMR. He noted that multistakeholder coordination is essential for policy action, offering the example from WAAW where France released national antimicrobial-consumption reports for animals and humans, revealing a decline in animal use while human use rises—showing that progress in one sector does not guarantee system-wide success. He concluded by reaffirming WOAH’s commitment to helping youth establish cross-sectoral collaboration mechanisms at the national level to gain exposure and experience in addressing critical challenges.
Federica Castellana emphasized that equity and access begin by placing young professionals at the center of AMR discussions. She described how the Young WFPHA working group’s AMR chapter advances awareness, advocacy, and research while convening stakeholders from different regions within the youth age group, which helps highlight diverse needs and co-create solutions. She shared an example from Djibouti, where a community-centered One Health project championed by the Italian Red Cross has enabled community members and livestock owners to lead disease surveillance. Villagers are trained to collect and share data with local health authorities using a bottom-up approach, ensuring that AMR solutions reflect local realities.
Yasmine Bairouk explained that health diplomacy ensures global and regional AMR commitments are translated into effective, context-adapted national policies. She emphasized that monitoring and accountability are essential to understanding the real impact of political commitments. She announced that the Health Diplomacy Alliance will launch the Click-The-Box Initiative next year to support governments and the Quadripartite in monitoring accountability around political commitments. She highlighted diplomacy as a key mechanism to strengthen budgeting and financing, mobilize non-traditional sectors, and support innovation, diagnostics, and science. She concluded by stressing that global AMR communication must remain accessible and understandable for all.
Ms Katherine Urbáez closed the dialogue by summarizing the discussion and highlighting the key themes explored by the panelists. She underscored the importance of addressing the triple planetary crisis, the misuse of antimicrobials, the global action plan, healthy communities, political engagement, food security, biosecurity, livestock production, conflict settings, and data collection, while noting the trend of reduced antimicrobial use in animals. She emphasized how youth remain central across each of these dimensions of the AMR equation. She concluded the event by outlining the next steps toward 2026, reaffirming the importance of continuing to engage quadripartite organizations each year during World AMR Awareness Week.
