GLOWACON CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
GLOWACON can be described as a “network of networks,” bringing together institutions and initiatives working on wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES). Since its launch, the consortium has organised and contributed to several international and regional events aimed at strengthening collaboration and knowledge exchange.
KEY EVENTS
| I. Global GLOWACON Launch Conference / Brussels, March 2024 |
| II. Regional GLOWACON Conference Asia / Singapore, June 2024 – co-organised with the Singapore Ministry of Health and the European Commission |
| III. Regional GLOWACON Conference Africa / Addis Ababa, December 2024 – co-organised with the African Centre of Disease Control (African CDC) and the European Commisson |
| IV. Regional GLOWACON Conference Latin America / Panama City, May 2025 – co-organised jointly between PAHO, the Pan-American Health Organisation and branch of the WHO and the European Commission |
In addition, GLOWACON was prominently featured at the World Water Forum in Bali (May 2024). Its presence at Expo Osaka 2025 further strengthened the public-private partnerships promoted by the consortium.
GLOWACON FUNDERS’ FORUM
To optimise financial support for wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES) activities and reduce duplication of efforts, GLOWACON has established a Funders’ Forum bringing together major international financing institutions and philanthropic organisations.
Participants include:
| The European Commission |
| The World Bank |
| The Asian Development Bank |
| The African Development Bank |
| Philanthropic organisations such as the Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and the Global Fund |
The forum facilitates coordination among founders and supports strategic investment in WES initiatives worldwide.
GLOWACON EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES FOR AVIATION
Following initial testing during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, GLOWACON launched a first proof-of-concept initiative in 2024 to explore wastewater surveillance in the aviation sector. This initiative assesses the technical and operational feasibility of establishing a global network of aviation sentinel sites. In the first test phase, GLOWACON collaborated with IATA and approximately 30 international airports worldwide. Preliminary results demonstrated promising technical feasibility. Parts of the findings are currently being prepared for publication.
