The 9th Annual Shot@Life Summit was one for the books, as our champions reached a record-breaking 159 offices across the House and Senate, including 15 member-level engagements. We also got to hear from many incredible speakers during our annual three-day summit who provided great insight on the power of advocacy to increase vaccine access, strengthen global health programs, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2020 Summit Recap
The 2020 Shot@Life Champion Summit took place in Washington, D.C. from Monday, February 24 through Wednesday, February 26. The three-day event brought together over 120 grassroots advocates from across the country to deepen their knowledge of global childhood immunization issues, sharpen their advocacy skills, and lobby their members of Congress on Capitol Hill.
Our speakers provided great insight on the power of advocacy to increase vaccine access, strengthen global health programs, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Highlights:
- Presentations from:
- Dr. Seth Berkeley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance;
- Dr. Chizoba Wonodi, Nigeria Country Director, Johns Hopkins IVAC;
- Rep. Kim Schrier, Congresswoman from Washington State;
- Irene Koek, USAID;
- Jeff McFarland, CDC;
- and many more from the UN Foundation and our network of global health partner organizations.
- Meetings on Capitol Hill with 159 Congressional offices, including 15 member-level engagements – shattering our previous Hill Day records; and
- Interactive workshops on personal storytelling, letter-to-the-editor writing, and the congressional budget process.
Check out this photo album for more visual highlights and take at a look at the most memorable quotes from Summit:
On the Benefits of Global Health Programs
“For every dollar you invest [in vaccines], you get a $54 return. There is nothing like that. It’s a no brainer.” – Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
“We are this close to eradicating polio and the U.S. has been involved since the beginning. The progress we have made is because of the investments and work that we all have done together.” – Dennis Ogbe, Polio Advocate, Paralympian, and Shot@Life Champion
“Our issue resonates with either side of the aisle.” – Loyce Pace, President and Executive Director of the Global Health Council
On the Power of Collaboration
“We have big collective challenges on our horizon that require collection action.”– Elizabeth Cousens, President & CEO of the United Nations Foundation
“We need to involve businesses, civil society, and religious institutions to help get the job done on these Sustainable Development Goals, which no one country can tackle alone.” – Rachel Pittman, Executive Director of UNA – USA
“Energy matters not only to SDG7, but also to SDG3, good health and well-being. It’s absolutely necessary to achieve all of the other SDGs.” – Luc Severi, Senior Energy Specialist of Sustainable Energy for All
On the Importance of Grassroots Advocacy
“We know that complacency can set in, especially when vaccines work so well, and people can forget their importance when they’re successful. We have to continue to advocate for the importance of vaccines.” – Dr. Chizoba Wonodi, Nigeria Country Director of IVAC & Founder and Convener of Women Advocates for Vaccine Access
“We are everyday average people that have a chance to be world changers. We have the chance to eradicate polio.” – Janice Hawkins, Shot@Life Champion Leader from Virginia
“The power of talking about saving just one life because of access to vaccines can make a difference.” – Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign & Senior Vice President at the United Nations Foundation