Global experts and youth voices unite for adolescent wellbeing at Nobel Forum
Adolescent mental health took the spotlight at Karolinska Institutet earlier this month, where global experts, youth leaders, and policymakers gathered to launch the second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing. The event highlighted the urgent need for cross-sector collaboration and youth engagement to address the growing challenges facing adolescents today.
The seminar event, organized by researchers from Global Child Health & the Sustainable Development Goals group, in collaboration with the Development Office at Karolinska Institutet, marked the launch of the second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing and brought together a diverse group of stakeholders committed to driving systemic change.
The gathering at Nobel Forum attracted youth activists, students, researchers, and leaders from government, civil society, business, foundations, and academia—each playing a vital role in shaping a healthier future for adolescents. The event was structured in two parts, each highlighting different dimensions of the adolescent health agenda.
Youth voices and global perspectives
In the first session, A Call to Action, moderator Mariam Claeson guided the audience through a compelling program that included a welcome address by Karolinska Institutet President Annika Östman Wernerson and a keynote presentation by Sarah Baird, co-chair of the Lancet Commission. The session concluded with a panel discussion featuring reflections from Olivia Wigzell, Aparajita Ramakrishnan, Prerna Banati, Pernilla Baralt, and youth commissioners David Imbago Jacome and Olivia Biermann.
“Meaningfully engaging adolescents in the policy, research, interventions, and accountability mechanisms that affect them is crucial for effective action,” says Olivia Biermann, underscoring the importance of youth participation in shaping policies that directly impact their lives.
Sweden’s commitment to adolescent wellbeing
The second session, How Sweden is gearing up for a healthier, thriving adolescence, was moderated by Stefan Swartling Peterson and featured an inspiring address by Jakob Forssmed, Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, followed by a conversation with Karolinska Institutet’s Martin Bergö.
Mariam Claeson returned to the stage to present a summary of the political economy of adolescent mental health, setting the stage for a panel discussion with Klas Bergling, Martin Schalling, Carl Bennet, Karin Schultz, Matilda Holmberg, and Siri Helle.
“Collaboration across sectors on mental health, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, and violence, is needed to enhance adolescent health and wellbeing—especially between health and education ministries around interventions in schools,” says Mariam Claeson, highlighting the need for integrated, cross-sectoral approaches.
Learn more
KI covered the event in a news article published on KI.se.
A call to action: the second Lancet Commission on adolescent health and wellbeing (link to full report)
The event was recorded and is available to watch in two parts:
Part 2: How Sweden is Gearing Up for a healthier, thriving adolescence