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Panel on Happiness and Longevity in Old Age

We dare to take a look at the modern ageing society. Panel discussion with Donna Leon, Linda P. Fried, Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari and Urs Zeltner.

Speakers

Friday, 15. November 2024, 18:30 – 20:00 h

At the University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006 Zurich, KOL-G-201 (Aula)

Event Language: English

We dare to take a look at the modern ageing society. What are our opportunities and what are our tasks? Is it just an issue in Medicine 2.0 or is it also an issue for society as a whole? What opportunities are there for investors and how can we achieve sustainability? We want to stay young and healthy for longer. How can we do that?


The panellists are:

- Donna Leon, bestselling author and ambassador of the European Longevity Study DO-HEALTH

- Linda P. Fried, Dean of the Columbia University School of Public Health and principal investigator in the "Global Roadmap of Healthy Longevity" of the US National Institutes of Medicine

- Heike Bischoff-Ferrari, Chair of Geriatrics and Ageing Research at UZH, Visiting Professor of Geroscience at Toulouse University Hospital and member of the WHO Healthy Aging Consortium

- Urs Zeltner, entrepreneur & strategic advisor, former Global Vice Chairman UBS


Chaired by Martin Meyer, President of the Board of the Swiss Institute of International Studies.

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Admission is free. No pre-registration necessary. No seat reservation possible. The security staff reserves the right to check bags/backpacks. Taking photos and filming are prohibited without authorisation and must be refrained from. The event will also be broadcast live and made available for replay.

Speakers

Donna Leon

Author

Short Bio

Donna Leon, born in New Jersey in 1942, left the USA as a student to continue her studies in Perugia and Siena. She stayed abroad, working as a tour guide in Rome and in Rome and as an advertising copywriter in London as well as a teacher and lecturer in Iran, China and Saudi Arabia. She also taught at the University of Maryland near Venice, where she settled in 1981. In 1992 Donna Leon presented her debut novel "Death at La Fenice" («Venezianisches Finale») – the start of the now iconic Commissario Brunetti series. To date 33 Brunetti novels have been published to date.

A thirst for adventure, courage and ingenuity – these are the qualities that have always inspired Donna Leon to discovering new things and daring new beginnings. Whether in America, Italy, Iran or in the mountains: there is material for exciting stories everywhere. Donna Leon lived in Italy for many years and now lives in Switzerland. She is still a frequent guest in Venice.

Overview of the SIAF speakers

Professor Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH

Dean, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University and Director, Columbia Aging Center

Short Bio

Linda P. Fried is an internationally renowned geriatrician and scientist who has led innovation towards the goals of creating healthy longevity for all and successful societies of longer lives. She led the science that has defined frailty as a new aging-related medical syndrome that is chronic, progressive, diagnosable and with serious adverse outcomes for those affected, and led research to define the opportunities for prevention and treatment.

Fried was the co-Chair of the Global Commission empaneled by the U.S. National Academy of Medicine that created the 2022 Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity. Prior to becoming Dean, she was the Director of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology and the founding Director of the Center on Aging and Health at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.

Fried is an elected member of the US National Academy of Medicine, and served two terms as an elected member of the oversight executive Council. She is a past President of the Association of American Physicians, and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including being named in 2022 a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor of France for her contributions to science and humanity.

Overview of the SIAF speakers

Professor med. Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari

Geriatric medicine and healthy longevity

Short Bio

Heike Bischoff-Ferrari specialises in geriatric medicine, general internal medicine and rehabilitation. She holds a doctorate in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health and has been Chair of Geriatrics and Ageing Research at the University of Zurich since 2013. She has been coordinating the largest European study and biobank on extending healthy longevity in a European and American research network since 2012.

Since 2020 she has been a board member of the Harvard working group "Minding Our Future: Healthy Aging, Food, and Lifestyle", and since 2022 she has been a member of the WHO Clinical Consortium Healthy Aging and a member of the WHO Consortium Longterm Care. Since 2023, Bischoff-Ferrari has been a visiting professor of Geroscience at the University Hospital and the University Paul Sabatier Toulouse. Since 2024, Bischoff-Ferrari has been working with Pro Senectute Canton Zurich to establish the WHO prevention programme ICOPE in Switzerland. Bischoff-Ferrari is a Visiting Professor at Harvard Medical School 2024.

Overview of the SIAF speakers

Urs Zeltner

Entrepreneur & Strategic Advisor, former Global Vice Chairman UBS

Short Bio

Urs Zeltner has worked in the financial industry for more than four decades. He held senior management positions at UBS for many years and has an extensive track record in corporate banking, wealth management, innovation, recovery & risk management, and leadership. He has built a global network across various industries and is currently active as an entrepreneur, strategic advisor with his own multi-family office, board member and consultant for selected companies.

Overview of the SIAF speakers