Come for the film. Be part of the team.

14 October 2026 · 10:00–12:00 Brussels time

WHO Representation Office to the European Union — Residence Palace, Bloc C, Rue de la Loi 155, 1040 Brussels, Belgium

What happens when a football pitch becomes a meeting place for cancer prevention?

In Lerești, Romania, that question has become a community story. Women and men, younger and older residents, experienced players and people who had never played football before have stepped onto the same pitch. Through walking football, familiar surroundings and shared experiences, a European research project has found a way into everyday life.

On Cancer Literacy Day, we invite you to discover that story — and join the conversation about where it could lead next.

Register for the event

A community’s story, seen through one man’s eyes

At the heart of the event is Champions of Prevention, a 15-minute documentary following Bogdan, a former footballer involved in Lerești Living Lab, part of the 4P-CAN research and innovation project.

Through his story, the film brings us closer to the people behind the research: their relationships, their motivations and the moments that bring a community together. It explores how football can open a conversation about health, make participation feel possible and bring prevention closer to people’s lives.

You do not need to play football to be part of this conversation. In Lerești, some participants were taking their very first steps onto a pitch.

From the screen to a shared conversation

The screening will be followed by a moderated panel connecting documentary storytelling, research, public health and European football.

Together, we will explore what the film helps us understand about community participation, what research tells us about football and health, and how local experiences can inform wider approaches to cancer prevention.

The programme brings together:

• Dr Oxana Domenti, WHO Representative to the European Union, for the welcome address and panel discussion.
• Lars Grote, documentary filmmaker, founder of Shift Videoproductions and director of Champions of Prevention.
• Prof Magni Mohr, Professor in Exercise Physiology and Pro-Rector for Research at the University of the Faroe Islands, involved in the Football is Medicine research platform.
• Teodora Pletosu, UEFA GROW — Public Affairs and National Associations Strategic Development.
• Other speakers from EC TBC

Dr Marius Geantă, President of InoMed and coordinator of 4P-CAN, CURTAIN and Lerești Living Lab, will introduce the film and moderate the conversation.

Your experience belongs in the room

Thirty minutes of the programme are dedicated to an open conversation with the audience. Bring your questions, your community’s experience or an idea you would like to explore with others.

Whether you work in public health, research, policy, sport or community life, join us to consider what makes prevention meaningful to people — and what it takes to turn a promising local experience into lasting collaboration.

Join us in Brussels on 14 October.

Register for the event

Organised by InoMed, coordinator of the 4P-CAN and CURTAIN projects, on the occasion of Cancer Literacy Day — 14 October 2026