University of Alaska Fairbanks-U.S. Department of State Host Conference One Health, One Future

Office of the Spokesperson

The U.S. Department of State is partnering with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Center for One Health Research to host the virtual international conference, One Health, One Future, April 6-11, 2021. Organizers expect this to be the largest circumpolar One Health conference held in the United States in 2021, with more than 600 participants anticipated from across the Arctic region. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jonathan Moore will participate in a panel on April 6 at the conference plenary session “The Arctic Council and One Health: Advancing Scientific Cooperation via a Diplomatic Platform.”

This event is a key aspect of the United States contribution to “One Arctic, One Health¸” an Arctic Council project now in its sixth year of operation (https://arctic-council.org/en/news/one-arctic-one-health/ ). The project aims to develop a circumpolar network of One Health experts that can share knowledge, conduct tabletop exercises, and spur collaborative investigations of One Health phenomena. The project also develops and sustains networks of One Health research and practice in the Arctic region.

One Health is a joint risk management approach that accounts for addressing risks at the nexus of people, animals, and their shared environment. It is a widely recognized best practice for advancing health security and sustainable development. The United States has prioritized One Health as a key building block of regional sustainable development and health security.