Health is complex, and that is precisely what makes it beautiful. It emerges from the interplay of biological processes, cultural meanings, social dynamics, and political decisions. This complexity is not a barrier, but a wellspring of insight: those who embrace it can reimagine public health in deeper, fairer, and more humane ways.
The conference “Public Health and the Beauty of Complexity” invites participants to engage with complexity rather than simplify it, and to see it as a source of innovation. Real progress in public health occurs when the humanities, social sciences, health sciences and medicine enter into transformative dialogue: when epidemiological data is enriched by ethical reflection, political structures are contextualized through historical analysis, and understandings of health are broadened by philosophical, anthropological, religious, and cultural perspectives.
The conference highlights contributions that examine how social values, cultural narratives, and structural conditions shape health, and how they may open new pathways toward justice, prevention, and participation. It features integrative research approaches that combine quantitative analysis with qualitative methods and theoretical depth.
The conference also breaks new methodological ground: rather than relying on traditional lecture formats, it emphasizes dialogical panels, debates, moderated discussions, and participatory workshops. The goal is not only interdisciplinary exchange, but also the collaborative development of concepts that honor the complexity and dignity of the human experience. The University of Lucerne, with its strong foundation in the human sciences, is uniquely positioned to promote and host these reflections.
Welcome to the heart of Switzerland; welcome to Lucerne! This conference is more than a gathering: it is an invitation to celebrate the richness and depth of public health in all its complexity. Let us explore new perspectives, develop bold ideas, and offer powerful impulses for a healthy, just, and sustainable society.