The opening plenary at the European Association for Palliative Care World Congress in mid-May. Photo courtesy of the EAPC; used with permission.

The EAPC World Congress, held May 14 and 15 in Prague, breached Europe’s borders to foster a spirit of unity. Below are thoughts by three IAHPC members in attendance.

May 21, 2026

‘World’ Focus on PC Is a Lofty Goal Worth Continued Pursuit

Lifetime member and former board member Dr. Hibah Osman is a senior palliative care physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and is working to advance the development of palliative care in Lebanon and the Middle East. 

From the opening plenary by Dr. Scott Murray to the closing session by Dr. Mai-Britt Guldin and Carlo Leget, the 20th World Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care delivered a rich program of innovative research and inspiring initiatives, with established leaders and early-career practitioners networking, generously sharing knowledge, and forging new collaborations.

Vitalness of research & timely grief support

Dr. Murray offered a compelling account of nearly three decades of primary palliative care research, tracing its profound influence on practice—from seminal work on illness trajectories that has shaped thinking on prognosis and referral triggers, to advocacy for integrating palliative care within universal health coverage frameworks that has driven meaningful policy change. His engaging lecture set an inspiring tone for the days ahead. Closing the congress, Guldin and Leget held the room's full attention with a dynamic presentation on an integrated approach to grief and loss, making the case that grief begins at diagnosis and that supporting patients and families through loss must start early in the illness trajectory—not only at its end.

A timely reach beyond Europe…

The EAPC's ambition to evolve the congress into a genuinely global platform is both welcome and timely. That ambition was visible in some of the congress's most generative moments: presentations on opioid access restrictions in New Delhi and inclusive care for LGBTQ+ persons in Lebanon were among the most thought-provoking of the week, and reflected the creativity and adaptability of colleagues building palliative care in complex, under-resourced contexts. 

…can facilitate the flow of learning

As the EAPC continues to develop this vision, centering these generally marginalized voices more prominently—not only in poster and parallel sessions, but in plenary curation and keynote programming—would reinforce what a World Congress can be, signaling a truly meaningful commitment to broader inclusion. Pairing this with practical support mechanisms that enable colleagues from low- and middle-income countries to participate and present would help translate intention into structure. The field has much to gain from ensuring that learning flows in all directions, and the EAPC is well placed to model what genuinely bidirectional global exchange looks like. 

One Family, with Shared Values

Board member Irena Laska of Albania is executive director of the Mary Potter Palliative Care/Hospice Center in Korçë. She has served as a trainer for international nursing leadership initiatives and is a member of the EAPC Nursing Task Force and Primary Care Reference Group.

The 20th EAPC World Congress in Prague was a highly valuable professional and academic experience. From the beginning, the congress created a strong sense of international community and collaboration. What stayed with me most was when moderators of the opening plenary session referred to all participants as “one family,” capturing the spirit of unity among professionals from diverse countries, disciplines, and cultures working toward the shared goal of improving quality of life and relieving suffering.

Another memorable moment was the reception hosted by the mayor of Prague at city hall, celebrating international partnership and the shared values of palliative care.

Meaningful connections made possible

Beyond the scientific sessions, the congress offered valuable opportunities to reconnect with longstanding colleagues and establish new professional relationships with specialists working in palliative care across different countries. Meetings with colleagues and experts from ELNEC, EduPal, and the exploratory meeting of the EAPC World Alliance for Palliative Care Nursing Leadership encouraged meaningful exchange, collaboration, and new ideas for education and practice. 

35 countries at ELNEC meeting

The ELNEC meeting was particularly inspiring: it brought together leaders and faculty from 35 countries, reflecting a global commitment to palliative care education and development. The social event with the Primary Palliative Care Taskforce further strengthened this sense of belonging and shared purpose among participants.

The congress strengthened international connections and highlighted the importance of continued collaboration, ongoing education, and a shared commitment to advancing palliative care worldwide.

Precongress Nursing Workshop Demonstrates Useful Tool

IAHPC board member Judith Paice is an advanced practice nurse, director of the Cancer Pain Program in the Division of Hematology-Oncology, and a research professor of medicine at Northwestern University.

Nurses are essential members of the interdisciplinary palliative care team, as well as of any palliative care professional organization, including IAHPC and EAPC. Nurse leaders of EAPC presented a dynamic, interactive preconference workshop describing their EU-funded work, NursEduPal@IMPACT. Designed to engage and educate nurses and other disciplines, the project includes videos, webinars, and tools for palliative care education. 

Congress games confer practical intel

Attendees in Prague participated in gamification strategies, such as a form of bingo to highlight patient indicators that might signal a palliative care consult and advance care planning. An “escape room” scenario illustrated a day in the life of a palliative care unit, allowing participants to better understand the work of palliative care professionals and the patients and loved ones in their care. The creators of these materials are generously sharing them with anyone interested.