The forum was the main square in ancient Rome. Its historical, religious, and political importance made it the place around which all the city’s life revolved: weddings, games, gladiatorial fights, religious ceremonies and festivals, military parades, political proclamations etc. It was the living centre of the city, like the agora, the political and mercantile meeting place of the Greek cities. Would it be exaggerated to say the National Hub Forum is one of the main events in the organisation of c4c activities?
The National Hub Forum (NHF) is a c4c group that holds a monthly meeting bringing together the National Hubs who are the people that are at the core of c4c activities all over the Europe. Health care professionals, researchers, project managers and assistants who work every day to create better medicines for babies, children, and young people. Their activity is key to make the mission and objectives of c4c a concrete reality, ie to really connect for children. Given the key role and diversity of NHs and their hosts National Networks, the NHF was set up early in the project to promote discussion, collaboration, and input, and to build relationships between NHs.
The NHF meetings are the place where everyone comes together virtually to inform themselves about the latest advances of the c4c work, upcoming projects as well as exchange ideas, visions, and projects. Besides the monthly virtual meeting, there is a face-to-face meeting at least once a year. It takes place in a home city of a national hub and is co-hosted by it. The virtual meetings are chaired and facilitated by Ricardo Fernandes and Regis Hankard – themselves both leads of National Hubs (Portuguese and French), who helped design and co-create the concept of the NHF, with an understanding of the challenges and opportunities of working across networks in c4c. Next to the interventions from NIO (Network Infrastructure Office) members, bringing updates on the advancement of the project, there are also sessions from invitees and stakeholders presenting topics relevant to the project. An important part of the NHF sessions is open exchange in form of questions, comments, and feedback on NH’s experience, ensuring that the voices are being heard and considered in future decision making.
The next NHF virtual meeting will take place on the 8th of October, preceded by a face-to-face event that has took place in Zurich, Switzerland on the 26th of September.
The c4c consortium would like to extend a huge thank you to Zane Opincane for her important role in supporting the National Hub Forum.
