CI ADVOCACY IN ACTION 2025: THANK YOU!
Thank you to everyone who attended this year’s conference, which brought together 120 delegates from 32 countries, for an inspiring, impactful and inclusive event in Brussels, Belgium on the 16th & 17th October 2025.
This is how CIICA is – there is no barrier between clinicians and CI recipients; we all join together for the one thing we are passionate about: improving cochlear implant services worldwide. Prof Helen Cullington
CLICK HERE TO VIEW & DOWNLOAD ALL PDF PRESENTATIONS
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL PROGRAMME
“Very grass roots and impactful. Love how intentional each panel is to address different angles, yet in a cohesive fashion”.
OUR WELCOME SESSION
Thank you to Graeme Clarke and Shelly Chadha for their welcome messages!
WATCH GRAEME CLARK’S MESSAGE:
Shelly Chadha joined us from Geneva, sharing that CIICA’s messages are completely aligned with those of WHO, advocating for equitable services for Ear and Hearing Care.
SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS
Rob Beenders (Belgian Minister & CI user)
Access to CI shouldn’t depend on your age or how well you navigate the system. Get CI advocacy on the agenda – politicians aren’t waiting for you.
Also, Zala Tomasic, a Member of the European Parliament and daughter of CI user Darja Pajk, member of the CIICA Board, shared movingly the impact of deafness in the family on other members, and the change made by CI:
Having a cochlear implant is not just a medical change. It changes your life, your family life, it changes your confidence, it changes what you as a person dare to do and what you are afraid of and what not. It is one of the most powerful technologies.
Several of our delegates couldn’t attend as the Belgian immigration services refused their visas, but sent their videos.
EDDIE MUKAAYA’S (Uganda) MESSAGE TO DELEGATES:
Two young adults also couldn’t be with us because their visas were refused:
MELIS DURMAZ YILDRIM (Turkey)
ELAINE MUKAAYA (Uganda), SHARING WHAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE IN UGANDA FOR CI USERS
Prof Sara Rubinelli rounded off our conference by challenging us to take the next leap to sustainable advocacy – which needs funding. Encouraging us to make our plans, she said:
Effective advocacy transforms awareness into action, and action into change.
Brian Lamb launched CIICA’s new briefing – Investing in hearing technology – changing the narrative.
40 CI users participated in this year’s conference (pictured below).One delegate: CI users should be part of all CI conferences.
The programme of presentations from across the globe enabled us all to learn from each other, to be inspired by each other and to learn of the amazing advocacy work done in challenging places.
“The topics were so well created, the speakers so well chosen, each of them spoke from the heart and the lived experience and vast knowledge”.
More of our speakers:
A big thank you to all our speakers – see link to presentations above.
We also launched some new resources at this year’s conference. You can find these and all our resources on our webpage.
The new resources are:
📄INVESTING IN OUR HEARING IMPROVES LIVES AND IS COST EFFECTIVE – CIICA
📄CONSIDERING A COCHLEAR IMPLANT(CI)? 20 QUESTIONS TO ASK: A PROMPT LIST – CIICA
Thank you to all our sponsors (some pictured above), without whom, this would not be possible.
FULL PHOTO GALLERY COMING SOON!