During the last three days, the Annual Conference of EHMA – European Health Management Association 2021 took place. Influenced by the pandemic, this conference took place in virtual format for the second year, bringing together policymakers, managers, and academics from all over Europe. In addition to one oral communication, I was given the role of master of ceremonies (MC, something that in my wildest dreams had never happened).

Despite considering the learnings of the last almost two years, the conference focused on the future and on the steps we must take as managers and academics in improving management for the transformation of health systems.

It is not enough to do the same, and the biggest fear is to maintain the policies and failures of the past. In the words of the Regional Director of the World Health Organization, Dr. Hans Kluge Jr., it is not enough to build back better. We also need to build back fairer.

I am confident that the light of Lisbon brought optimism to walk the talk. Next year, the EHMA family will be together once again, this time in a hybrid model.

Thank you and congratulations to the entire team at EHMA, APAH – Associação Portuguesa de Administradores Hospitalares, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Nova School of Business and Economics, sponsors and partners.