Exclusion, inequality and poor mental health have grown for decades. Vast resources and good intentions have not reversed the trend. We need new thinking, and new alliances that can drive change forward.

On 13 May 2026, NTNU WellFare formally launches the WHO Collaborating Centre on Well-being and Social Sustainability — one of close to 800 WHO-designated institutions worldwide, and a new hub for evidence-based work on fairness, social sustainability and the wellbeing economy in Norway and internationally.

This is a day for policymakers, researchers across disciplines, civil society, philanthropy and business — all those working on how people live, belong, contribute and thrive today and in the future. Speakers include leading voices from the WHO Venice Office, governments in Scotland, Wales, Finland and Iceland, and NTNU, sharing practical experience and knowledge of what a wellbeing economy looks like across different country contexts. We will also hear from lived experience, young voices, voluntary organisations, philanthropy, business, researchers and public servants — because a society that creates wellbeing now and for the future depends on collaboration across the whole of society.

The programme moves from formal opening and launch, through the knowledge base, to open dialogue — with ample opportunity for networking and informal exchange throughout.

• Date: Wednesday 13 May 2026, 08:30–14:30
• Venue: Dokkhuset, Trondheim (map)
• Online participation: Streaming starting 13 May
• Questions: heimburg@ntnu.no
• Registration: https://nettskjema.no/a/604717

Dokkhuset, Trondheim (map)  |  13 May 2026  |  08:30–14:30.

08:30–09:00  Coffee & Music

Informal welcome — guests arrive to coffee and live music before the formal opening

Opening 

09:00–09:15  Welcome & Opening

• Tor Grande, Rector, NTNU

09:15–09:25  The Why — and Why Now? Introducing the WHO Collaborating Centre

• Chris Brown, WHO Venice Office — the WHO CC framework, this mandate, and why the moment matters 

09:25–09:35  What is the Wellbeing Economy — and Why Does it Matter?

• Odd N. Hansen, WHO Venice Office — from GDP to what counts: the WBE agenda and what it looks like in practice across different European economic and political contexts

09:35–09:55  Presenting the Centre: Vision, Agenda and Ambitions

• Dina von Heimburg & Ottar Ness — the centre’s vision, research agenda, partnerships and what success looks like

09:55–10:10  NTNU’s and National Government Endorsement

• Cathrine M. Lofthus, Director of Norwegian Directorate of Health and member of WHO’s Executive Board, Norwegian Government Representative - national policy perspective on wellbeing and sustainable development 
• Hans Petter Ulleberg, Vice-dean for Research, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences — institutional response and affirmation on behalf of NTNU

10:10–10:25  Coffee & Informal Networking

Health Equity Status Report Initiative (HESRi2)

10:25–10:40  HESRi2: Connecting the WHO CC to WHO’s European Health Equity Agenda

• Chris Brown, WHO Venice Office — introducing HESRi2 and its significance for the European Region (launch due September 2026)
• Peter Goldblatt, UCL Institute of Health Equity — the evidence base and what HESRi2 means for policy action

Longterm Governance & People-powered Approaches

10:40–11:30 Featured Speaker & Facilitated Conversation

• Sophie Howe, Former Future Generations Commissioner, Wales — drawing on the Wales Deep Dive and her experience of the Well-being of Future Generations Act
• Facilitated conversation (Facilitator: Inga Marte Thorkildsen): Gabriele Pastorino (WHO Geneva, social participation) + Tone Torgersen (Norwegian Public Health Association), Niels Højberg, (Red Cross, Denmark) and Lena Yri Engelsen (expert by experience and Secretary General for the 1001 Days National Alliance)

“What does it actually take — politically, scientifically, and socially — to make long-term wellbeing a governance reality?”

• Open floor 
• Closing panel comments from Sophie Howe

11:30–12:15  Lunch & Structured Networking

The Deep Dive Series

12:15–13:00  Deep Dives on the Wellbeing Economy & Policy Responses

• Dina von Heimburg — presenting the Deep Dive Series: key findings and implications
• Facilitated exchange (Facilitator: Chris Brown) - response and reflection on how this evidence shapes policy:
• Mariana Dyakova, Head of International Health and Well-being Economy Lead and Technical Director, Policy and International Health, a WHO Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Wellbeing, Public health Wales, Wales
• Dóra Guðrún Guðmundsdóttir, Director of Public Health, Directorate of Health, Iceland
• Gary Gillespie, Director & Chief Economic Adviser, Scottish Government
• Merita Mesiäislehto, Research Manager, PhD, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland
• Open floor 

13:00–13:15  Comfort Break

The Future, Funder & Partner Perspective

13:15–13:20  Building the Change We Want to See: Collaboration, Networks and Partnerships

• Lisa Hough-Stewart (WEAll Global) - Video message

13:20–13:40 Young Voices and Future Generations Perspective

• A dedicated table of youth representatives (Facilitator: Inga Marte Thorkildsen).
• Conversation between Arwin Ahmadi (young to young expert by experience, Outreach youth section, Trondheim Municipality) and Thea Birgitte Erfjord (Director for Spire) — exploring what long-term wellbeing governance means for and with families, young people and future generations

13:40–14:15 Towards a Whole-of-society Approach to wellbeing for all

• Representatives from government, academia, philanthropy, business and civil society — including NGO voices.

“Where do you see the greatest opportunities for cross-sector collaboration in accelerating the shift to a wellbeing economy — and what might that look like in practice?”

Facilitator: Inga Marte Thorkildsen. Panel format — discussions across 4 themes:

• Research agenda & methods
• Governance uptake & policy translation
• Funding & partnerships
• Cross-country and international learning

Open dialogue

Closing

14:15–14:30  Closing & Next Steps

• What we heard today
• Concrete next milestones for the centre
• Invitation to stay connected and contribute
• Thank yous

Dina von Heimburg & Ottar Ness + Christine Brown