Event highlights
On 13–15 May 2026, Bilbao hosted a unique gathering of leaders committed to shaping how societies respond to longer lives and population ageing. The Ageing is Living Leadership Course brought together 40 senior government officials, politicians, practitioners and communications specialists from across the WHO European Region for 3 days of immersive, practical learning.
This flagship initiative of the WHO Regional Office for Europe was delivered in close partnership with the Nagusi Intelligence Center of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia (Bizkaiko Foru Aldundia/Diputación Foral de Bizkaia), building leadership capacity to advance healthy ageing, transform care systems, create age-friendly environments and challenge ageism.
Why leadership matters now
Longer lives are among the greatest achievements of our time. Yet living longer does not automatically mean living the extra years in good health, with purpose, independence and meaningful connections.
Creating the conditions for healthy ageing is not the responsibility of any individual sector or institution. It requires leadership across governments, communities, health and care systems, academia, civil society and the private sector.
The Ageing is Living Leadership Course was developed from a simple premise: we already have much of the evidence and many of the solutions. What is often missing is the leadership needed to navigate complexity, build coalitions and turn knowledge into sustained action.
From leadership to action
Grounded in the 4 priority action areas of the forthcoming WHO European Strategy on Ageing is Living: Promoting a Lifetime of Health and Well-being (2026–2030) – prevention for lifelong health, creating age-friendly environments, transforming care systems and challenging ageism – the curriculum went far beyond lectures and presentations.
Participants engaged in systems mapping workshops, leadership labs on negotiation and collaborative decision-making, and problem-based learning sessions rooted in real-world policy challenges. Plenary sessions featuring WHO experts and global leaders were complemented by breakout sessions and peer mentoring, which created opportunities to learn from diverse national, regional and local experiences across the Region.
The Province of Bizkaia provided a fitting setting for these discussions. Through the leadership of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the Nagusi Intelligence Center, participants explored practical examples of how cross-sector partnerships can advance age-friendly environments, community-based long-term care, innovation and healthy longevity. As an active member of WHO/Europe’s Regions for Health Network, Bizkaia has demonstrated how regional and local leadership can help to translate policy into action and accelerate change on the ground. Site visits and exchanges with local leaders helped to connect strategy, evidence and policy with real-world implementation.
The Ageing is Living Leadership Course forms part of a broader effort to strengthen leadership capacity across the WHO European Region and to build a growing community of leaders committed to advancing healthy ageing in policy and practice. Together, WHO/Europe and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia are developing a platform for leadership, learning and exchange to support countries, regions and communities as they adapt to longer and healthier lives.
As one participant reflected: “Healthy ageing is not solely a health issue. It is a leadership challenge that requires partnerships, shared ownership and action across sectors.