2027

5th Anniversary Edition

2 – 4 July 2027 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Hosted by the Walking the Talk for Dementia Institute (Brazil), in partnership with The Alzheimer's Association of Santiago de Compostela (AGADEA) and Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC)

About

The Symposium

The WTD Symposium is an annual convening that blends science, knowledge translation, lived experience, dialogue, and collaboration through panel discussions, roundtables, and interactive sessions.

Beyond its programme, it creates meaningful opportunities for connection, bringing together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, people living with dementia, care partners, patient associations, care providers, NGOs, advocates, artists, and innovators from around the world.

5th Anniversary Edition

A Special Third Day for 2027

To celebrate WTD's 5th Anniversary Edition, the 2027 Symposium will expand from two to three days, with a special final day dedicated to the first-ever WTD Alumni Summit.

The Summit will bring together alumni from across WTD's first four years to reconnect, reflect on what has grown from their WTD experiences, share learning and collaborations, and explore what we can build together for the years ahead.

Days

30+

Countries Represented

120+

Global Participants

Each edition of the Symposium is grounded in guiding principles that celebrate diversity, inclusion, and collaboration, turning ideas into action and experience into evidence.

Sign with purple text on a white background, reading 'Patient & Public Involvement. Lived and professional expertise are equally valued, driving co-created innovation and shared ownership of outcomes.'

A slide with the word 'Framing' in large purple text and a description about priorities in dementia care, equity, and leadership through diverse academic and community lenses.

A purple-themed infographic emphasizing the importance of diversity, stating that perspectives across disciplines, cultures, and experiences spark new collaborations.

Action-Focused: Ideas are transformed into real-world strategies that influence policy, practice, and public awareness.

Bold white text on black background reading: ''Explore past symposium programs.''

Graphic with a PDF icon and an arrow pointing downward on the left, and text on the right that says 'Download 2024 Program' in purple, all on a rounded white background.

Purple and white graphic with icons of PDF documents and a download arrow, text reading 'Download 2025 PDF Program'.

Bold white text on a black background asking, "Why does it matter?"

The Symposium is part of a growing movement recognizing that innovation in dementia cannot happen without the active participation of those most affected.

By bridging academic research, lived experience, and policy, WTD builds a more equitable and human-centered approach to dementia research and care.

Text in purple capital letters that says "PAST SPEAKERS INCLUDE".

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Chief Medical Officer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH)
President of the Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Nigeria (ADAN)
“Am I Mad? Reshaping the Perception of Dementia in African Cultures”
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

• Professor of Cyberpsychology
• Northumbria University Newcastle
• University of Toronto

“Memory Clinics – Still Fit for Purpose?”
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Theatre Director & Professor of Performing and Media Arts at Cornell University
“Clowning: Where Laughter Finds the Words We’ve Lost”
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Dementia Advocate
“Just Keep Swimming: My Journey in Changing the Narrative”
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Dementia Advocate
“Living Alone and Planning Ahead – A Personal Approach to Future Care”
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Dementia Advocate

“Returning to the Closet for Long Term Care – A Community’s Nightmare”
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Musician • GBHI Senior Fellow

“Music and Movement for Improving Wellbeing in Dementia”
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Wake Forest University School of Medicine • Consultant Neuroscientist at Aga Khan University Kenya • Co-lead the World- Wide FINGERS Biomarker Consortium
“Advancing Equity in Brain Health through Collective Leadership”
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Neurologist • Researcher • Senior GBHI Fellow
“New Horizons in Dementia Diagnosis: A LMIC Perspective”
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Public Health Communication Specialist • Regional Director at ADI in Asia • Founder of Alzheimer's Indonesia
“From Caregiver to Global Advocate: The Journey of Dementia Empowerment”
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Neuroscientist & Researcher Director at ZimmerLab
“Blood Biomarkers in Dementia”
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Chair, Long-term Services & Supports Subcommittee at the Napa Advisory Council, US. Dept. of Health and Human Services
“Expert-by-experience: The value of lived experience in shaping health policy”
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Psychiatrist & Director at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) - Trinity College Dublin (TCD)
“Are we ready? Preparing Healthcare Systems for Disease-Modifying Therapies in Dementia”
🇳🇱

Senior Managing Advisor at The Hogeweyk - Dementia Village | Be Advice

“Between Present and Possibility: Hogeweyk and the Future of Dementia Care”
🇨🇱

Neuroscientist • Global Brain Health Institute

“Reframing Dementia: Tackling stigma and (RE)imagining awareness”
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Clinical Psychologist • Chitkara University
“Reimagining Brain Health Through Community and Tradition”
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Neurologist & Director at Memory Unit of Hospital de Sant Pau
“Unraveling Alzheimer’s in People with Down Syndrome”
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Clinical Neuropsychologist • University of Botswana

“Supporting Families Living with Dementia in Low-Resource Settings”
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Neuroscientist • Clinical Operations & Partnership Manager at Syntropic

“Gender, race and diversity in dementia”
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Art Therapist • Founding Director of Arts Culture and Health Collaborative (ACHC)
“Cultural Narratives: Art as a Bridge in Dementia Care”
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CEO at Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI)

“My Leadership Journey in Dementia”
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Nurse & Assistant Professor at Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences
“Whispers from the Himalayas: Reframing Dementia in Nepal and Other Low-Resource Settings”
🇹🇭

Actor • Producer • GBHI Senior Fellow
“Theatre as a Tool in the Fight Against Stigma”
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Neurologist • Researcher
“Understanding the Role of Modifying Treatments: Future or Reality”
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Dementia Advocate
“A conversation on embracing, living, and thriving with dementia”
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Associate Professor • Co-Director of Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging at Portland State University
“Brain Health Diplomacy: A framework to Support Equity in Global Dementia Care Policy”
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Gerontologist • Technical Officer on Ageing and Health, WHO Europe
“See Me As I Am: A Person, Not Just a Diagnosis”