Summer 2025 Newsletter

The Future of Humanitarian Aid: Navigating a Politicized and Fragmented Landscape

The humanitarian sector stands at a critical juncture. Dr. Michael VanRooyen, Director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI), explores the structural shifts that will redefine it.

Elisabeth B. Weintz Humanitarian Award

Leader of World Health Organization Honored For Global Impact

The Harvard Humanitarian Initative has selected Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, as the 2025 HHI Elisabeth B. Weintz Humanitarian Award recipient. Dr. Tedros will visit Harvard on October 7–8, 2025 to attend the award ceremony and deliver remarks to the community.

Dr. Tedros is being honored for his extraordinary impact as a humanitarian leader on the world stage. He adeptly navigates complex political and diplomatic situations to protect the health of people in conflict zones and is a powerful advocate of universal health coverage.

Tech-Driven Power Dynamics in Humanitarian Crises

Ethical Implications Related to Processing Of Personal Data

Patrick Vinck, Research Director of the HHI, has published a scoping review that identified 22 recurring ethical issues in data processing in humanitarian contexts, from privacy violations to biased algorithms and the loss of autonomy.

Inclusivity in Emergency Management

Special Issue and Editorial

Sonny Patel, a Visiting Scientist at HHI, has published a special issue on inclusivity in emergency management in the Journal of Emergency Management. He also authored an editorial on inclusive approaches to emergency management with a focus on charting a path for equitable disaster resilience and leaving no one behind.

Humanitarian Academy

Humanitarian Response Intensive Course Marks a Milestone

The 20th iteration of the Humanitarian Response Intensive Course (HRIC) completed successfully from May 2–4, 2025. This landmark session brought together a dynamic cohort of 47 professionals in humanitarian aid, emergency medicine, and related fields with 49 graduate students from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's International Humanitarian Response Course (GHP 518).

Participants engaged in a high-fidelity field simulation at Harold Parker State Forest in North Andover, MA, immersing themselves in the complex realities of humanitarian crisis response. More than 115 volunteers from over a dozen countries helped make the simulation a success. As it celebrates two decades of experiential learning, HRIC continues to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and real-world preparedness for global humanitarian challenges.

Urban Humanitarian Emergencies Course

Another successful iteration of this intensive four-day course concluded on July 11, 2025. Thirteen participants from eight countries convened in Cambridge, bringing diverse professional backgrounds to deepen their understanding of urban humanitarian crises—an area of growing significance given the increasing frequency of natural disasters and conflicts worldwide.

Monitoring and Evaluation for Humanitarian Programs Workshop

Twelve participants from five countries gathered in Cambridge to attend the workshop held from June 9 to June 13, 2025. The cohort consisted primarily of mid-career humanitarian professionals representing a range of national and international non-governmental organizations.

Humanitarian Studies Concentration

In May, the Humanitarian Academy held a certificate award ceremony honoring 15 graduate students who successfully completed the Humanitarian Studies Concentration. Most of the recipients were students from the Department of Global Health and Population, along with one student from the Harvard Kennedy School and another from Tufts University. Offered through Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Humanitarian Studies Concentration is an interdisciplinary program that explores the challenges and needs of populations affected by crises such as natural disasters, health emergencies, and armed conflicts.

Emergency Health Systems Program

Members of the Ukraine Trauma Care Response Program were honored to host Superhumans on the Brigham and Women’s Hospital campus this summer. After visiting their nationwide center for war trauma in Lviv last December, it was a great opportunity to share and learn together in Boston as well. Superhumans provides support to adults and children in Ukraine affected by the war since 2022, specializing in prosthetics, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, and psychological support.

Coming Up: Two New Courses

Mastering Complex and High Stakes Negotiations

This intensive program is designed for seasoned professionals who navigate critical, high-stakes environments, such as humanitarian crises, climate action, and global policy negotiations.

Why Join?

✅ Cutting-Edge Strategies: Learn advanced negotiation frameworks and tools tailored for dynamic, multi-party scenarios.

✅ Expert Faculty: Train with seasoned instructors from Harvard and experienced negotiators.

✅ Interactive Simulations: Gain hands-on experience through immersive simulations based on real-world challenges using the latest AI technology.

✅ Networking Opportunities: Connect with a global community of senior practitioners and thought leaders through the AI Negotiation Challenge.

Who Should Attend?

Senior managers, policymakers, humanitarian leaders, and negotiation professionals seeking to enhance their skills in managing complexity, and building trust in high stakes environments.

📅 Course Dates: 22-26 September 2025

📍 Location: Online

Apply Now

Dynamic Leadership For Health Leaders

This transformative hybrid program is designed for emerging and established leaders working on the frontlines of health, humanitarian response, and the public sector—navigating complexity, crisis, and rapid change.

Why Join?

✅ Expert Instruction: Learn directly from Dr. Michael VanRooyen, Lavine Family Professor of Humanitarian Studies and Director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative.

✅ Real-World Case Studies: Tackle 9 in-depth case studies rooted in global crisis leadership—develop actionable, high-impact strategies.

✅ Unmatched Insights: Dive into leadership journeys through over 40 guest interviews with world-class leaders from the health, humanitarian, and public sectors.

✅ Interactive Social Learning: Engage in 17 dynamic discussion threads and collaborative activities with a diverse, global peer cohort.

✅ Flexible Hybrid Format: Complete most course content online at your own pace, plus attend optional monthly live sessions with Dr. VanRooyen.

✅ Exclusive Alumni Network: Get invited to the annual Dynamic Leadership Summit for continued connection and growth.

Who Should Attend?

Public sector leaders, health professionals, and humanitarian practitioners seeking to strengthen their capacity to lead effectively through uncertainty, crisis, and organizational complexity at any stage of their career.

📅 Course Duration: 8 weekly sessions (24 total hours)

📍 Format: Hybrid (Online modules + live virtual sessions with Dr. VanRooyen)

🎓 Credits: CME for Physicians

💡 Scholarships & Location-based pricing available

Apply Now

Conference News

Atrocity Prevention Lab: Virtual Conference

The Atrocity Prevention Lab hosted its 2nd virtual conference, Spatial Strategies for Peace, on March 18 and 19, 2025. There were over 200 attendees who tuned in from all across the world over the two-day event.

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