EBC Brain Days at UNGA81

23–24 September 2026 | New York City

EFNA representative: Arabela Acălinei, Vice-President

The European Brain Council (EBC) held its 5th Brain Days alongside the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York, bringing together policymakers, researchers, clinicians, patient advocates, international organisations, funders and other stakeholders to advance brain health as a global health, societal and economic priority.

Across the two days, discussions addressed global collaboration in brain research and innovation, brain health across the life course, AI, brain skills and resilience, inequalities in access and outcomes, financing brain health, and the need for stronger intersectoral collaboration. A major policy focus was the growing momentum towards a United Nations Resolution for the Brain, and the opportunity this could provide to strengthen political recognition and coordinated action on brain health internationally.

EFNA participation

Arabela Acălinei, Vice-President of EFNA, participated in the Day 1 panel “From Awareness to Action: Building a Global Movement for Brain Health”, organised in collaboration with the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and its Brain Health Mission.

The panel was moderated by Prof. Kailash Bhatia, President of EAN, with contributions from Paul Boon, Co-Chair of the Brain Health Mission; Celso Arango, President-Elect of the European Psychiatric Association; Joanna Lai, Health Specialist at UNICEF; and Arabela Acălinei, Vice-President of EFNA. The discussion explored how professional societies, patient organisations, mental health stakeholders and international partners can work together to move from fragmented awareness towards a recognisable and actionable global brain health movement.

Representing the patient perspective and EFNA, Arabela stressed that awareness should be measured not simply by how many people are reached, but by what changes as a result. Awareness should support better understanding of symptoms and earlier help-seeking, but should ultimately contribute to earlier diagnosis, better access to care and support, reduced stigma and greater inclusion.

She also highlighted the need to connect awareness with health-system readiness. Encouraging people to recognise symptoms and seek help earlier will have limited impact if appropriate diagnostic pathways, services and support are not available. Patient organisations can play an important bridging role by translating medical information into understandable and practical messages, building trust and helping people navigate towards appropriate support.

Another key message was that brain health communication must be inclusive of people already living with neurological conditions, including genetic, rare, chronic and progressive conditions that could not have been prevented. For these communities, brain health also means the opportunity to live well with a neurological condition through access to care and rehabilitation, independence, inclusion and full participation in society.

Finally, Arabela emphasised EFNA’s position that people with lived experience should not simply be the audience of brain health initiatives, but equal partners in shaping them. In the context of discussions around a possible UN Resolution for the Brain, she called for brain health to become a genuine policy priority, with meaningful involvement of people with lived experience and success ultimately measured through tangible improvements in access to care and support, inclusion and quality of life.