About this Event
Join Health Promotion Practitioners from across Australia for an Energising, Interactive Gathering and Strengthen our Collective Impact as we Mark 40 years of the Ottawa Charter!
Connect with your community
Build strong networks and spark meaningful conversations with colleagues shaping Australia’s health promotion future.
Grow your practice
Take part in interactive, skills‑building workshops grounded in the Ottawa Charter’s Action Areas, practical, relevant, and ready to apply.
Celebrate 40 years of the Ottawa Charter
Reflect on its legacy, explore its power in today’s complex health landscape, and consider what the next 40 years must deliver.
Build momentum toward IUHPE 2028
Help set the tone for Australia’s global contribution to health promotion ahead of the 2028 World Conference.
Kickstart the week with purpose
Held just before the Public health Association of Australia's (PHAA) Preventive Health Conference making it the ideal lead in for a week focused on prevention.
Uniting Australia’s Health Promotion Leaders for What Comes Next
Join us in Hobart on Monday 4 May 2026 for our national workshop-based event held the day before the Preventive Health Conference.
This gathering brings together practitioners, researchers, students, community leaders, and advocates to strengthen professional capability, connection, and collective momentum for health promotion in Australia.
In 2026, we mark the 40th Anniversary of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, a milestone moment to reflect on its legacy and re‑energise our commitment to equity, empowerment, and prevention. This event also builds toward AHPA’s engagement with the IUHPE World Conference 2028, supporting a strong, future‑ready health promotion workforce.
Event Registration Fees
- AHPA/PHAA/AEA Members: $88.00*
- AHPA Members Concession: $66.00
- Non-Members: $198.00
*PHAA and AEA members are eligible for the AHPA member rate.
Agenda
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Registration & Refreshments
Info: Start strong! Collect your name tag and enjoy a tea or coffee as we set the tone for a day of action‑focused health promotion.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:15 AM
Welcome to Country
Info: A Tasmanian Aboriginal Elder or community representative will offer a Welcome to Country, acknowledging the traditional owners of nipaluna/Hobart and guiding us into the day with respect and cultural grounding.
🕑: 09:15 AM - 09:30 AM
Opening Address
Host: Glen Ramos, AHPA President
Info: Glen Ramos opens the event with reflections on our shared purpose, the legacy of the Ottawa Charter, and the collective momentum shaping the future of health promotion in Australia
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Keynote Address
Host: Professor Donald Nutbeam
Info: A leading global voice in health promotion and health literacy, Professor Donald Nutbeam will deliver a keynote that explores how we translate evidence into real‑world impact, and what it will take to build a healthier, more equitable Australia.
🕑: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Workshop 1: Developing Personal Skills
Info: Facilitator to be announced. In this interactive workshop on the Charter Action Area 'Developing Personal Skills', participants will be guided through a critical exploration of how personal capabilities, professional identity, and reflective practice shape our effectiveness as health promoters. With a focus on privilege, inequity, and critical self‑reflection, this session invites honest dialogue and deeper understanding of how we show up in our work, and how personal insight supports broader systems change. Morning tea will be served during this workshop.
🕑: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Workshop 2: Strengthening Community Action
Host: Associate Professor Gemma Crawford
Info: This workshop examines the Ottawa Charter action area Strengthening Community Action through the lens of the commercial determinants of health. With a focus on how commercial interests shape health, equity, and the conditions in which communities can exercise power and agency, A/Prof Gemma Crawford, A/Prof Belinda Lunnay, and Associate Professor Jonathan Hallett guide participants in a practical and reflective exploration of conflicts of interest in health promotion practice. Participants will work collaboratively to co‑design a position statement on navigating industry engagement in a commercially determined world. Designed to spark discussion, shared learning, and community‑led insight, this workshop supports practitioners to strengthen their advocacy, clarity, and confidence when working in contexts shaped by powerful commercial forces. Morning tea will be served during this workshop.
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch - Community, Connection & Renewal
Info: A chance to replenish and reconnect. Join colleagues for a shared lunch that strengthens community, encourages cross‑sector conversations, and builds the relationships that drive collaborative, equity‑focused health promotion. A moment to pause, reflect, and refuel together before the afternoon sessions.
🕑: 01:15 PM - 01:45 PM
Keynote Address
Host: Professor Evelyne de Leeuw
Info: Drawing on decades of leadership in healthy public policy, Professor de Leeuw will reflect on the Ottawa Charter’s enduring call to “build healthy public policy” and reimagines what it means for today’s complex systems and equity challenges.
🕑: 01:45 PM - 04:15 PM
Workshop 3: Creating Supportive Environments
Host: Professor Richard Chenhall
Info: This workshop explores the Ottawa Charter Action Area of 'Creating Supportive Environments', focusing on how we design physical, social, and cultural environments that enable people and communities to thrive. Supported by the South East Public Health Unit, Monash Health, Victoria, and Led by Professor Richard Chenhall & Tiffany Hunter, the session will focus on pathways to inclusion, inviting participants to consider what supportive, just, and accessible environments look like, and the practical levers that help create them. Afternoon tea will be served during this workshop.
🕑: 01:45 PM - 04:15 PM
Workshop 4: Building Healthy Public Policy
Host: Associate Professor Carmel Williams
Info: In this session, participants engage with the 'Building Health Public Policy' Action Area of the Ottawa Charter, examining the barriers that have hindered Health in All Policies (HiAP) approaches in Australia. Led by Associate Professor Carmel Williams, this workshop opens space to explore system constraints, political realities, and practical strategies for re‑energising HiAP as a driver of equity, prevention, and long‑term population wellbeing. Afternoon tea will be served during this workshop.
🕑: 01:45 PM - 04:15 PM
Workshop 5: Re‑orienting Health Services
Host: Abe Ropitini
Info: Hosted by Abe Ropitini, Executive Director, Population Health, VACCHO, this workshop turns to the Action Area of 'Re‑orienting Health Services', discussing what it really means to centre wellbeing, cultural safety, and community connection within health systems. With a proposed host from VACCHO, the session will explore how health services can shift from treatment‑focused models to approaches grounded in prevention, community leadership, and holistic, place‑based care. Afternoon tea will be served during this workshop.
🕑: 04:15 PM - 04:45 PM
Panel Discussion
Info: Join us to reflect on the day’s themes, explore perspectives on healthy public policy and system‑level change, and consider how we can strengthen governance and equity in health promotion. This interactive session invites your questions, insights, and reflections as we collectively make sense of the conversations and challenges raised throughout the day.
🕑: 04:45 PM - 05:00 PM
Closing Remarks & Acknowledgements
Host: Candace Angelo, AHPA Vice President
Info: As we bring today’s event to a close, we invite you to join us for a brief wrap‑up and reflection on the key insights shared throughout the program. This final session will highlight the major themes raised during the panel discussion and acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our speakers, facilitators, partners, and participants.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, 1 Davey Street, Hobart, Australia
AUD 66.00 to AUD 198.00
