World Health Summit President Axel Radlach Pries took a few minutes at the outset of this year's opening ceremony Sunday to brag about the conference.
In the shadow of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he said more than 6,000 people were expected to listen to more than 370 speakers in over three days as they weighed in on the most pressing challenges — and opportunities — in global health.
"Bringing together the different viewpoints from a diverse and vibrant global community united by the aim to improve health worldwide has always been the hallmark of this conference," he said. Conversations that, he suggested, could translate into initiatives and policies to help end the current pandemic and prevent future crises.