On the 19^th of May 2026  the official launch ceremony of the new World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Quality of Care and People-Centred Health Policies at the Medical School at the University of Crete was held. The launch ceremony included distinguished guests and speakers to acknowledge the significance of the designation of the School of Medicine as a WHO Collaborating with four-year mandate to promote quality of care and people centered health care in the European region. .

Opening remarks were delivered by the Secretary General for Public Health of the Ministry of Health, Christina-Maria Kravvari; on behalf of the Governor of the Region of Crete, Deputy Regional Governor Georgios Pitsoulis; the Rector of the University of Crete, Professor Giorgos Kontakis; the Dean of the School of Medicine and Head of the Centre, Professor Eleni Papadaki; the Governor of the 7th Health Region of Crete, Nektarios Papavasileiou; as well as the Head of the WHO Office in Athens for Quality of Care and Patient Safety,  Dr. João Breda. The event was also honored by the presence of representatives of the Church, public authorities, social organizations of Crete, and members of the academic, scientific, and healthcare communities.

During the first part of the ceremony, Emeritus Professor and Co-Head of the Centre, Christos Lionis, presented the strategic vision and objectives of the new WHO Collaborating Centre, while Dr. João Breda referred to quality of care as a fundamental pillar of the WHO’s people-centred approach.

This was followed by the presentation and keynote speech of Dr. Kristine Sørensen, Founder of the Global Health Literacy Academy, Executive Chair of Health Literacy Europe, and the International Health Literacy Association, entitled “Health Literacy National Policies in the WHO European Region,” moderated by the Dean.

The a launch ceremony concluded with greetings and warm thanks to the participants and guests from the Dean of the School of Medicine and Head of the Centre, Professor Eleni Papadaki.

The event continued with the WHO Collaborating Centre’s first workshop “3PH Regional Workshop: Consultation on Health Literacy,” coordinated by the WHO Office in Athens for Quality of Care and Patient Safety in collaboration with the 7th Health Region and the School of Medicine of the University of Crete.

Dr. João Breda presented the strategic vision and progress of the PH3 initiative, as well as the key elements of the future Health Literacy Action Plan for Greece. Subsequently, Dr. Konstantina Vasileiou, Project Officer at the WHO Office in Athens for Quality of Care and Patient Safety, analyzed the section “Health Literacy and Policy,” emphasizing policy dimensions and the integration of health literacy into national health systems.

The program continued with an interactive discussion and focus group discussions in thematic breakout sessions, with attendee participation and coordination by Dr. Konstantina Vasileiou and Ms. Eleftheria Gkini, a consultant at WHO Athens for Quality of Care and Patient Safety.

The ceremony concluded with presentations of experiences related to health literacy in Greece, coordinated by Emeritus Professor and Co-Head of the Centre, Christos Lionis. Participants in this session included Dr. Sofia Papadaki, researcher at the Laboratory of Health and Society of the University of Crete and member of the WHO Collaborating Centre; Eftychia Steiakaki, Professor of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at the School of Medicine of the University of Crete and member of the WHO Collaborating Centre; and Dr. Maria Michou, researcher at the Laboratory of Human Ecology of Harokopio University.

The School of Medicine of the University of Crete expresses its sincere thanks to all participants and guests. The establishment of the WHO Collaborating Centre constitutes an important milestone for the University, Crete, and the country, strengthening Greece’s international role in promoting high-quality and people-centred health systems.