Community Connect is a valuable addition and important highlight of The Union World Conference on Lung Health 2025. Representatives of the affected community and civil society come together to share experiences and develop solutions on issues surrounding lung health. Community Connect is where the voice of the affected lung health community echoes to the world.
This year, Community Connect comprises of interesting conversations from civil society and affected communities, panel discussions, sessions, booths, campaigns, performances and an exhibition area. We are inviting applications for becoming a collaborator for Community Connect and we have also launched submissions for Community Connect Sessions. Full details below.
Tracks
Track 1:
Community rights, gender and stigma
This track focuses on civil society and community-based/led interventions that address barriers to accessing quality TB services, lung health and tobacco cessation services with respect to discrimination, stigma, human rights, gender equity and cultural attitudes.
Track 2:
Empowering communities: Strengthening systems to end tuberculosis
This track focuses on activities such as capacity building and community mobilisation to address local TB-related needs and challenges. It prioritises strengthening community capacity to effectively prevent, diagnose, treat, and support individuals affected by TB.
Track 3:
Unlocking resources for TB: Political commitments, funding gaps and advocacy
This track explores the political landscape, funding gaps, and resource mobilisation necessary for advancing community-led advocacy and accountability in the fight against TB. Discussions will focus on strategic policy implementation, financial commitments, and TB financing mechanisms essential for achieving the goal of ending TB by 2030. Communities can share insights on national-level policies that have either facilitated or hindered progress, along with successful advocacy initiatives that have strengthened TB response efforts.
Track 4:
Community-led innovative tools and technologies in TB programmes
This track will focus on scientific advancements, and digital innovations, including AI-based technologies aimed at community empowerment and engagement. These technologies, tools, and programmes which can address barriers and integrate services by tackling social and structural determinants of health, such as poverty, income inequality, political instability and unequal distribution of healthcare resources, with increased access to diagnostics and treatment, particularly for TB and lung health.
Community Connect Collaborator Guidelines
The Community Connect Collaborator position is open to organisations (non-profit, civil society, TB champion-led, TB champion-led research groups) with experience in TB programming, implementation, and community development. Eligible organisations should have a strong understanding of TB and lung health issues and experience working with communities affected by TB.
Organisations should have the capacity to reach and network with TB communities both locally and globally, ensuring wider participation and community mobilisation. Excellent communication and organisational skills are essential, as Collaborators will be responsible for contributing to Community Connect’s success at The Union World Conference on Lung Health 2025.
Collaborators will play a key role in supporting and amplifying Community Connect’s reach and impact. Their responsibilities include:
- Promoting Community Connect: Using their networks and resources to increase awareness and participation.
- Supporting Conference Activities: Assisting with the opening session for Community Connect, including pooling additional resources if needed.
- Amplifying Local Voices: Partnering with local survivor and non-profit organisations to provide visibility within Community Connect.
- Expanding Engagement: Helping create a bridge between global and local efforts, ensuring stronger community representation.
- Social Media Promotion: Sharing Community Connect social media posts on their organisation’s social media platforms.
To ensure mutually beneficial partnerships, Community Connect Collaborators will receive the following benefits:
- Promotional Opportunities: Dedicated space to showcase their organisation or local initiatives.
- Access to the Conference: A full conference pass for one representative.
- Exclusive Event Spaces: Access to one workshop space (cultural or advocacy-related), discussion zone, Art/Photography exhibitions, Posters, and Films.
- Recognition: Highlighted as key partners in Community Connect promotional materials.
- Dedicated Booth: Collaborators are eligible for free access to a booth allocated within the conference space.
- Application Submission: A short description of the interest and expertise of the organisation applying, along with examples of how they plan to contribute to Community Connect (up to 500 words). This may include past experience in running similar activities at conferences, relevant events/panels, and proposed contributions to the Community Connect space.
- Submission Deadline: Online submissions will be open from 28 April 2025 to 26 May 2025.
- Review Process: Applications will be reviewed by experts from The Union Community Advisory Panel (UCAP) and assessed based on the expertise and contributions of the organisation.
Each proposal will be evaluated based on geographical relevance, experience working with affected communities, TB and lung health advocacy, community mobilisation capacity, inclusivity and representation including communication, capacity to reach and network with TB communities, collaboration readiness and previous collaboration experiences. Ensure that all of these are represented in the application.
The Union is committed to promoting people-centered language in all conference activities. When drafting submissions, organisations must follow the guidelines outlined in the Stop TB Partnership’s Words Matter Language Guide. Proposals using stigmatising language will be penalised in the review process.
Notification about application status will be emailed to the coordinator/submitter by the end of June.
Organisations based within the region where the conference is being hosted may be eligible for an upgrade to Community Connect Co-host status. This designation allows for a more significant role in shaping Community Connect activities and contributing to the event’s overall success. Specific details regarding co-hosting responsibilities and benefits will be discussed upon application submission.
If you wish to contact the Community Connect team, please email us at communityconnect@theunion.org
Community Connect Session Guidelines
18-22 November 2025
Community Connect will take place during core programme hours; dates and time of presentation are allocated by the Union Community Advisory Panel (UCAP) to accommodate the complexity of the programme and minimise the overlap of tracks.
45/60 Minutes
45 minutes session – Four speakers
60 minutes session – Five or more speakers.
The criteria could also change based on the number of submissions we receive for the conference.
Please select the most appropriate track. Note this is to assist with programme planning. Track choice has no impact on the selection process. The list of tracks is available here.
Community Connect sessions should have one to two individuals serving as chair/co-chairs and majorly responsible for moderating the session.
The co-ordinator will be the point of contact and is responsible for providing the necessary information as requested to the Community Connect team. Co-ordinators play the role of communicating with speakers, submitting the session online, liaising with the Community Connect team. Chairs of the sessions can act as coordinators.
Minimum of four and maximum of six speakers.
Brief outline of your session topic (maximum 500 words).
A biography of no more than 100 words must be submitted for each proposed speaker and chair. The biography will be considered for publication in the online programme.
Online submission will be open on 28 April 2025 and close on 30 May 2025 at 23:59 Central European Time (CET). Community Connect Sessions are editable until then. No further changes are accepted after that deadline.
Community Connect Sessions are peer-reviewed by a minimum of three experts and assessed based on the purpose and objective of the session; session structure and coherence; outcomes and impact; and advances/innovation in the field.
Read more about the review system below.
The Union is committed to promoting people-centred language in all conference abstracts and presentations. During submission preparation, the guidelines laid out in the Stop TB Partnership’s publication, Words Matter – Suggested language and usage for tuberculosis communications (Second Edition – 2022), should be followed.
Proposals using stigmatising language will be penalised in the review process.
Below is the list of stigmatising words that will be highlighted for reviewers’ consideration:
- TB Contact (prefer ‘contact person’)
- Defaulter (prefer ‘person lost to follow-up’)
- Illegal/alien worker (prefer ‘noncitizen resident or unauthorized resident/worker’)
- He-his or she-her (prefer ‘they-them’)
- Suspect (prefer ‘person with presumed TB’)
- TB control (prefer ‘TB prevention and care or ending TB’)
- AIDS patient (prefer ‘person living with HIV/AIDS PLWHA/PLHIV’)
Please make sure you enter the active email address of the co-ordinators, chairs and speakers as all communication will be made to these corresponding email addresses.
IMPORTANT: Each chair and speaker must use one single email address for identification purpose in our submission, registration and conference digital devices and apps. Otherwise, the system will not recognise the user.
Notification about the status of the submission will be emailed to the session chairs and submitter by the end of July.
If selected, the chairs and speakers agree to the attached information relating to the release, recording and publication of their presentation and session.
If you wish to contact the Community Connect team, please email us at communityconnect@theunion.org
Review System
Community Connect sessions are peer reviewed by experts from the UCAP team and external reviewers based on the following review criteria.
| SR. NO. | TOPIC TO BE SCORED | EXPECTED | SCORING |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purpose and objective of the session | Purpose and objective of the session are clear and adequately described |
0 = not described 1 = very poor 2 = poor 3 = average 4 = Good 5 = excellent (weight = 1) |
| 2 | Session structure and coherence | Titles and content alignment should be coherent and consistent to the description along with the objectives of the session. Session structure is clearly described with adequate scientific rigour and community representation. |
0 = not described 1 = very poor 2 = poor 3 = average 4 = Good 5 = excellent (weight = 1) |
| 3 | Outcomes and impact | Outcomes and impact are aligned with objectives of the session description |
0 = not described 1 = very poor 2 = poor 3 = average 4 = Good 5 = excellent (weight = 1) |
| 4 | Advances/Innovations in the field | Sessions are on topics of current interest as well as new evidence/information approaches and updates on practice related to the subject. |
0 = not described 1 = very poor 2 = poor 3 = average 4 = Good 5 = excellent (weight = 1) |
| 5 | Stigmatising language | Please follow the guidelines laid out in the Stop TB Partnership’s publication, Words matter language guide. Key stigmatising words/phrases will be highlighted by the system for reviewers to consider. |
-1 = yes 0 = no (weight = 1) |
Contact Us
Community Connect Engagement Activities open on 19 May 2025.