WTD 2026 Symposium

A global platform advancing Patient and Public Involvement, innovation, and leadership in dementia research, policy, and practice

Hosted by the
Walking the Talk for Dementia Institute (Brazil)
in partnership with the
Global Brain Health Institute - Trinity College Dublin (GBHI-TCD)
and the Alzheimer's Association of Santiago de Compostela (AGADEA)

The WTD Symposium is an annual two-day convening that blends science, knowledge translation, dialogue, and collaboration through panel discussions, roundtables, and interactive workshops.

Beyond its program, it offers meaningful networking moments that spark authentic exchange and lasting partnerships.

Bringing together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, people living with dementia, care partners, patient associations, care providers, NGOs, advocates, artists, and innovators, the Symposium cultivates a global community dedicated to advancing innovation, leadership, and real-world impact in dementia research, care, and policy.

Where science, experience, and collaboration meet.

Each edition of the Symposium is grounded in principles that celebrate diversity, inclusion, and collaboration, turning ideas into action and experience into evidence.

Download concise reports from recent symposium editions.

A selection of past speakers who have contributed to the WTD conversation.

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Chief Medical Officer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH)
President of the Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Nigeria (ADAN)
“Am I Mad? Reshaping the Perception of Dementia in African Cultures”
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

• Professor of Cyberpsychology
• Northumbria University Newcastle
• University of Toronto

“Memory Clinics – Still Fit for Purpose?”
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Theatre Director & Professor of Performing and Media Arts at Cornell University
“Clowning: Where Laughter Finds the Words We’ve Lost”
🇦🇺

Dementia Advocate
“Just Keep Swimming: My Journey in Changing the Narrative”
🇦🇺

Dementia Advocate
“Living Alone and Planning Ahead – A Personal Approach to Future Care”
🇺🇸

Dementia Advocate

“Returning to the Closet for Long Term Care – A Community’s Nightmare”
🇨🇴

Musician • GBHI Senior Fellow

“Music and Movement for Improving Wellbeing in Dementia”
🇺🇸

Wake Forest University School of Medicine • Consultant Neuroscientist at Aga Khan University Kenya • Co-lead the World- Wide FINGERS Biomarker Consortium
“Advancing Equity in Brain Health through Collective Leadership”
🇧🇷

Neurologist • Researcher • Senior GBHI Fellow
“New Horizons in Dementia Diagnosis: A LMIC Perspective”
🇮🇩

Public Health Communication Specialist • Regional Director at ADI in Asia • Founder of Alzheimer's Indonesia
“From Caregiver to Global Advocate: The Journey of Dementia Empowerment”
🇧🇷

Neuroscientist and ResearcherDirector at ZimmerLab
“Blood Biomarkers in Dementia”
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Chair, Long-term Services & Supports Subcommittee at the Napa Advisory Council, US. Dept. of Health and Human Services
“Expert-by-experience: The value of lived experience in shaping health policy”
🇮🇪

Psychiatrist & Director at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) - Trinity College Dublin (TCD)
“Are we ready? Preparing Healthcare Systems for Disease-Modifying Therapies in Dementia”
🇳🇱

Senior Managing Advisor at The Hogeweyk - Dementia Village | Be Advice

“Between Present and Possibility: Hogeweyk and the Future of Dementia Care”
🇨🇱

Neuroscientist • Global Brain Health Institute

“Reframing Dementia: Tackling stigma and (RE)imagining awareness”
🇮🇳

Clinical Psychologist • Chitkara University
“Reimagining Brain Health Through Community and Tradition”
🇪🇸

Neurologist & Director at Memory Unit of Hospital de Sant Pau
“Unraveling Alzheimer’s in People with Down Syndrome”
🇧🇼

Clinical Neuropsychologist • University of Botswana

“Supporting Families Living with Dementia in Low-Resource Settings”
🇮🇹

Neuroscientist • Clinical Operations and Partnership Manager at Syntropic

“Gender, race and diversity in dementia”
🇪🇹

Art Therapist • Founding Director of Arts Culture and Health Collaborative (ACHC)
“Cultural Narratives: Art as a Bridge in Dementia Care”
🇮🇹

CEO at Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI)

“My Leadership Journey in Dementia”
🇮🇹

Nurse & Assistant Professor at Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences
“Whispers from the Himalayas: Reframing Dementia in Nepal and Other Low-Resource Settings”
🇹🇭

Actor • Producer • GBHI Senior Fellow
“Theatre as a Tool in the Fight Against Stigma”
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Neurologist • Researcher
“Understanding the Role of Modifying Treatments: Future or Reality”
🇲🇾

Dementia Advocate
“A conversation on embracing, living, and thriving with dementia”
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Associate Professor • Co-Director of Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging at Portland State University
“Brain Health Diplomacy: A framework to Support Equity in Global Dementia Care Policy”
🌐

Gerontologist • Technical Officer on Ageing and Health, WHO Europe
“See Me As I Am: A Person, Not Just a Diagnosis”