Can adolescents be gamechangers for 21st century societal challenges? From October 8 to 10, a diverse group of scientists, practitioners, creatives, and youth representatives gathered for the Healthy Start Transformative Research Meeting (www.rethinkingdevelopment.nl) at Het Meisjeshuis in Delft to think about this question.

This meeting was filled with inspiring talks and commentaries, creative and interactive intermezzos, and perhaps most importantly space for genuine exchange and connection. Check out the meeting recap written by Judith van de Wetering. This Healthy Start Transformative Research Meeting clearly demonstrated the power of bringing together passionate people from different countries, disciplines, and professions who share a common goal: shaping a healthier start for the next generation. And this is only the beginning—we are excited to keep building on the ideas and collaborations that emerged during these inspiring days.

During the meeting, we recorded a podcast with some of our guests and adolescents to spread the message. The podcast is available on Spotify!

This meeting was organized by Lysanne te Brinke, Eveline Crone, Ron Dahl, Suzanne van de Groep and Judith van de Wetering and made possible by the Healthy Start-Convergence program and the Sector Plan Youth Resilience from Erasmus University Rotterdam.