2025-12-17
Antibiotic resistance, and the wider aspect of antimicrobial resistance, is a major threat to human and planetary health. Its drivers extend beyond medicine to a mix of environmental, social, and economic factors - from contamination and inequality to intensive production systems and antibiotic overuse in healthcare and food.
World AMR Awareness Week is a moment to rethink our relationship with antibiotics and with life itself.
At ReAct, we join this global movement by engaging stakeholders and communities across four continents. Below are key highlights from this year’s activities.
ReAct goes blue for AMR!
ReAct staff did Go Blue for AMR during World AMR Awareness Week. ReAct also joined to Go Blue campaign in social media, newsletter and parts of the website.
Learn more about the WHO global color campaign for World AMR Awareness Week!
New ReAct Policy Brief:
Unlocking AMR Financing: Optimizing international resources for an accelerated response to antibiotic resistance
A new ReAct analysis and policy brief highlights persistent barriers that hinder countries from optimally accessing and using international financing to implement their National Action Plans on Antimicrobial Resistance. It also identifies opportunities to make global AMR financing more coherent, efficient, and accessible, and outlines pathways to strengthen global mechanisms for more coordinated and effective AMR funding.
ReAct 20 years release! New Asia-Pacific Youth AMR Task Force!
As part of awareness week, and celebrating ReAct 20 years, ReAct Asia Pacific proudly launched and introduced the Asia Pacific Youth AMR Task Force. This regional initiative brings together diverse youth-led and youth-serving organizations committed to strengthening action on AMR through a One Health lens.
Zambia for WAAW: Maarifa kids book day
To celebrate World AMR Awareness Week 2025, the ReAct Africa project Maarifa Kids partnered with Belleza Talent Agency to host an AMR Awareness Book Day on 22 November 2025. This at the ReAct Africa Regional Office in Lusaka, Zambia.
Latin American “Minga” for World AMR Awareness Week
During World AMR Awareness Week, communities across Latin America organized a series of colorful events. They met in plazas, schools, kitchens, government ministries, universities, on the streets, and in their territories to imagine solutions, create art, dialogue, and care for one another.
Workshop at Uppsala University: AMR and community engagement
ReAct Europe gathered 20 Master’s students from the Infection Biology Program at Uppsala University for a workshop. The workshop explored how communities can contribute to addressing the growing global threat of antibiotic resistance and the students discussed possible solutions. This year’s workshop built on the success and strong engagement of previous years, continuing to strengthen student involvement in AMR action ahead of awareness week.
ReAct Asia Pacific: young voices and artistic expression
As part of its ongoing commitment to community engagement and education, ReAct Asia Pacific held a school outreach activity in Trivandrum, India, to mark World AMR Awareness Week 2025.
Look at webinar: From Policy to People … and Back Again
This webinar by Global Strategy Lab celebrates engagement and collaboration, showcasing how people across disciplines and continents are protecting our present and securing our future through community engagement, creativity, and storytelling. ReAct Europe’s Andrea Caputo Svensson was one of the speakers.
Hybrid Seminar in Bolivia
In the context of World AMR Awareness Week, leading academic institutions and civil society organizations are coming together for an Inter-university Dialogue on the Role of Academia in addressing antimicrobial resistance – a seminar designed to spark critical discussion, collaboration and action.
Organized by the Faculty of Medicine of Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (La Paz), the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Universidad Pública de El Alto, Frente de Acción por Una Salud, and ReAct Latin America, this seminar created a dynamic space for exchange between universities and civil society.
Participants reflected on the multi-sectoral initiatives currently underway to address AMR and explore how academia, in close articulation with civil society, can further strengthen research, education, and advocacy efforts.
3 questions to ZDOROVI – ReAct’s new partner in Ukraine
As part of World AMR Awareness week we interviewed Nataliia Tulinova, founder and CEO of ZDOROVI, ReAct’s new partner in Ukraine.
Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian humanitarian aid agency ZDOROVI has stood alongside Ukraine’s healthcare workers, helping hospitals across the country.
Nataliia Tulinova, founder and CEO of ZDOROVI, has guided the organization through one of the most challenging periods in modern healthcare. In this interview, she shares her perspective why antimicrobial reistance and infection prevention and control are critical priorities. ReAct and ZDOROVI is joining forces with other European partners to strengthen infection control and prevention capacities in Ukrainian hospitals.
20 voices from 20 years of global partnerships
For 20 years ReAct has built a wide global network for stronger action on antibiotic resistance. Growing from a few contacts in a few countries to a worldwide movement connecting researchers, policymakers and communities.
As ReAct marks this milestone, 20 voices from across its extended network reflect on collaborations that have shaped both careers and regional AMR approaches. These testimonials reveal how ReAct’s “whole-of-society” approach has created lasting partnerships extending beyond traditional medical boundaries demonstrating a collaborative spirit that continues to drive the global AMR movement forward.
Thank you for sharing your voices!
Additional ReAct World AMR Awareness Week activities
ReAct Africa
Youth-in-Action Challenge
15 October to 6 November. Kenya. ReAct Africa, in collaboration with the National Antimicrobial Stewardship Interagency Committee (NASIC) Youth Committee, has conducted a Youth-In-Action Challenge. While awareness of AMR is improving, sustained engagement and action are critical to making lasting change. Over the past year, youths across Kenya have made significant contributions to AMR awareness through community campaigns, digital advocacy, school outreach programs, and innovative local initiatives. This year’s Challenge aims to highlight youth-led actions and impact stories on AMR by documenting and showcasing their efforts over the past year, from November 2022 to October 2023. Entrants will document activities or engagements addressing a specific key issue related to the prevention and containment of AMR. They will also be required to share a brief social media post on X (formerly Twitter) to showcase their activities, using the following hashtags: #WAAW, #AMR, and #AntimicrobialResistance.
Webinar: Strengthening Monitoring & Evaluation capacity for effective implementation of AMR National Action Plans in Africa
11 November. Online. A webinar to address the critical role of the Monitoring & Evaluation component in National Action Plan (NAP) implementation. The webinar brought together key AMR stakeholders and Monitoring & Evaluation professionals, including ICARS, WHO AFRO, WHO Geneva, and regional public health leaders.
Religious leaders AMR guide launch in Kenya
Faith leaders play an important role as respected community leaders and influencers across the African continent. As such, ReAct Africa is engaging this important yet largely overlooked AMR stakeholder group to clearly define their role within congregations and the larger community in creating awareness and understanding to address AMR. As part of this intervention, ReAct Africa, with the support of the Ministry of Health, will launch the Religious Leaders AMR Guide during the National High-Level Advocacy and Official WAAW 2025 Launch in Nairobi, Kenya.
Maarifa Kids engagement
November. Busia County, Kenya. ReAct Africa will engage primary school children in two schools in the Western region of Kenya through various activities based on child-learning materials and tools for AMR. Activities will range from performing skits, songs, and other artistic-based genres as a means of creating awareness on the prevention of infectious diseases especially those caused by poor WASH practices, good nutrition, and the proper use of antibiotics, targeting their teachers, parents and other community members.
Antimicrobial stewardship activities in Kenya
ReAct Africa, through its antimicrobial stewardship project facilities based in Nairobi and Nakuru Counties, leveraged the ASPIRE Chatbot to conduct patient education and awareness creation on the appropriate use of antibiotics.The week-long activities also include continued capacity building among healthcare workers in the institutions.
Tag campaign by students
17-21 November. ReAct Africa, through the youth portfolio, will conduct a social media campaign with tailored One Health messaging under the theme “Preventing antimicrobial resistance together – One Health, One Future.”
WHO CSO Taskforce participation
18 November. Online. As part of the WHO CSO Taskforce, ReAct Africa will participate in the planned launch activities scheduled for the week commemorating World AMR Awareness Week.
Co-implementing a WAAW Campaign with AAA in Zambia
24-26 November. Ndola District, Copperbelt, Zambia. ReAct Africa will co-implement a youth-led World AMR Awareness campaign together with AAA Zambia. The campaign is aims to raise awareness among students on the Copperbelt of Zambia and among marketeers in the Ndola district. This campaign will involve dialogue sessions and awareness on proper antimicrobial disposal practices.
Youth-led online campaign
To mark World AMR Awareness Week, ReAct Africa focused on empowering AMRLEP 3.0 students to lead meaningful, creative, and evidence-based campaigns on AMR.
Students turned their knowledge into action through hands-on initiatives, using the leadership, communication, and advocacy skills they had gained during the program. This allowed them to design and carry out innovative, youth-led AMR awareness campaigns.
ReAct Asia Pacific
Awareness session at College
ReAct Asia Pacific partnered with Dale View College of Pharmacy to host an AMR awareness programme featuring expert-led sessions, role plays, and interactive discussions.
- Dr. S. S. Lal opened the event with a comprehensive introduction to AMR.
- Dr. Ijyaa Singh led a technical session on “Introduction to AMR and Current Trends,” engaging participants in a Q&A segment and honouring standout contributors with AMR Champion badges.
- Students performed a role play depicting real-world AMR scenarios, enhancing peer learning.
- Dr. K. G. Revikumar, former Principal, Govt. College of Pharmacy, emphasized the role of pharmacists and antibiotic stewardship in combating AMR.
The program concluded with an MoU signing between ReAct Asia Pacific and Dale View College to support future certification programs and joint initiatives. Students also participated in an AMR-themed selfie booth titled “I’m an AMR Champion – Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future.”
Community Awareness Drive in Delhi (Antibiotic Smart Community)
A community awareness initiative was conducted in a residential area in Thiruvananthapuram to promote responsible antibiotic use at the household level.
The program included interactive conversations, demonstrations on infection prevention, and the collection of community response videos to document public perceptions and strengthen local AMR literacy.
School Painting Competition
ReAct Asia partner schools in Kerala, India, will host a painting competition with the theme “Antibiotics: Handle with Care.” The event will feature an AMR awareness talk followed by a prize distribution ceremony. This creative activity will help students understand the dangers of antibiotic misuse and inspire them to become young advocates for AMR prevention in their homes and schools.
Awareness Program with the Elderly Community
An awareness program will be organized for senior citizens, focusing on antibiotic safety and preventive health. The session will include a health talk, distribution of educational leaflets on vaccination and infection prevention, and an interactive Q&A segment. It is expected that participants will gain a clearer understanding of the importance of using antibiotics correctly and maintaining good health practices as they age.
Women at the Heart of AMR Awareness – Community Engagement in Jahangirpuri, Delhi
At ReAct’s Antibiotic Smart Community 2.0 pilot site in Jahangirpuri, Delhi, women-led conversations formed the backbone of grassroots AMR awareness.
Facilitated by Sunanda Nadarajan and Ek Jeevan Hamari Prerana, the initiative transformed complex public health messages into everyday dialogues—through games, casual interactions, and community demonstrations.
These efforts continue to deepen AMR literacy among vulnerable communities, one conversation at a time.
#AMRReelChallenge
To celebrate WAAW 2025, ReAct Asia Pacific launched the #AMRReelChallenge, which received overwhelming participation from young creators across India.
- 172 creative reels submitted
- Participants from 19 states and union territories, including Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Assam, Delhi, Maharashtra, Puducherry, and more.
- Representation from disciplines spanning medicine, nursing, public health, veterinary sciences, arts, commerce, and social sciences
This widespread engagement highlighted the power of digital storytelling in amplifying public awareness of AMR.
A distinguished Jury Panel of experts from public health, clinical sciences, digital media, and creative communication has been convened to evaluate the results.
Quiz Competition with Youth Task Force
An interactive AMR quiz competition will be conducted for members of the Youth Task Force. Participants will showcase their knowledge of AMR and share examples of youth-led awareness initiatives. At the end of the session, AMR Youth Champion certificates will be awarded to recognize and strengthen youth leadership in promoting AMR awareness across campuses and social media platforms.
Creativity meets advocacy: AMR Poetry Slam & Open Mic
In collaboration with Swissnex in India, the Consulate General of Switzerland, and partner organizations, ReAct Asia Pacific co-organised the AMR Poetry Slam & Open Mic—an online platform celebrating creative expression against superbugs.
Poetry Against Superbugs invited storytellers, poets, and performers to use the power of words to spark dialogue and inspire collective action on AMR.
Community Outreach with Kerala’s Poultry Farmers
23 November. In collaboration with the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) in India, a community outreach program will be conducted for poultry farmers. The training will cover biosecurity practices, antibiotic alternatives, and demonstrations of good farming methods. The activity is expected to encourage farmers to adopt better biosecurity measures and reduce antibiotic misuse in poultry production, supporting One Health objectives in AMR prevention.
Awareness Programme at St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Pattom
An AMR awareness session was organised at St. Mary’s HSS, Pattom—one of Kerala’s largest schools with more than 14,000 students.
The programme highlighted responsible antibiotic use, infection prevention practices, and behavioural changes needed to curb AMR. The event successfully sensitised a large student population, fostering early understanding of AMR as a public health challenge.
Webinar for Primary Healthcare Workers
A webinar will be held for healthcare workers in primary care settings, featuring expert talks on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and case discussions on rational antibiotic use. The webinar aims to equip participants with practical tools for stewardship and infection control at the primary healthcare level.
Awareness Session at SP Fort Medical College
The final event of the WAAW series in India will take place at SP Fort Medical College, engaging clinicians and pharmacists from tertiary care hospitals. The program will include a panel discussion on AMS implementation, sharing of success stories, and introduction of digital stewardship tools. The session is expected to reinforce professional commitment to antimicrobial stewardship and encourage wider adoption of digital innovations in monitoring antibiotic use.
ReAct Europe
WHO CSO Taskforce participation
18 November. Online. As part of the WHO CSO Taskforce, ReAct Europe will participate in the planned launch activities scheduled for the week commemorating World AMR Awareness Week.
Antibiotikaforum in Sweden
Antibiotikaforum is an annual conference organized by the Swedish Board of Agriculture and the Public Health Agency of Sweden together with the National Collaboration Function against Antibiotic Resistance. It is a yearly opportunity for interested parties from different sectors to meet and exchange knowledge and experiences in antibiotic resistance. This year ReAct’s Anna Sjöblom was one of the presenters.
Toilet Day seminar – the value of sanitation systems
19 November, Stockholm University, Sweden. Antimicrobial resistance and climate pressures, highlighting the value of sanitation systems for people, society and the environment in different contexts, and how we can share knowledge and learn from each other’s experiences. ReAct Europe’s Andrea Caputo Svensson is one of the speakers.
Participation in Global Intergenerational Dialogue on AMR
24 November. In-person and online. ReAct Europe will take part in the planned launch activities of the ‘Global Intergenerational Dialogue on AMR’ – organized by Health Diplomacy Alliance and Geneva Environment Network – bringing together youth and cross-generational stakeholders to shape practical, inclusive One Health solutions for antimicrobial resistance.
Webinar WHO EMRO: Addressing AMR in fragile and conflict settings
24 November. Online. ReAct Europes’s Anna Sjöblom will be one of the speakers at this WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean webinar, and the launch of a new policy brief on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. The brief provides practical interventions grounded in a people-centred approach, spanning seven domains: infection prevention, diagnosis, treatment, surveillance, community engagement, primary and mobile care, and wider determinants of health. The webinar will feature presentations providing insights from country realities.
ReAct Latin America
Empowered Communities, Ecuador
12 November. Ecuador. Youth from the Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine programs at the University of Cuenca will join a unique participatory space to explore, learn, and act on AMR from a One Health perspective. The event will include conferences by professionals on the interrelationship between human, animal, and environmental health, and the connection between the climate crisis and AMR, followed by the practical application of resources from the “School Health and Microbial World” Educational Satchel (Alforja Educativa).
Book Launch!
13 November. Online. Virtual launch of the book, “Hagamos historias, contando nuestras historias” (Let’s Make History by Telling Our Stories), 2025 edition. In a cultural and emotional event, we will share stories written by communities in Argentina, Trinidad and Tobago, and Peru, with the participation of artists and youth from different universities in the region.
Innovative Educational Experiences from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Bolivia
18-20 November. Conferences Latin America. Innovative educational experiences from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Bolivia will be shared, interweaving science, art, play, and community knowledge to understand and care for the microbial world, planetary health, and antibiotic resistance. The conferences include panels, practical workshops, playful dynamics, experiences with children, school gardens, and artistic exhibitions, fostering active participation and community empowerment.
Community-Government Dialogue
19 November. Bolivia. A dialogue will be held between communities and governmental health organizations in Bolivia, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of the Environment, AGEMED, the Public Health Society of Bolivia, and the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights, among other institutions. This space seeks to generate joint solutions aimed at regulating the inappropriate use of antibiotics in intensive animal farming, promoting more responsible and sustainable practices that protect the health of people, animals, and the environment.
Ceramics Workshop
20 November. Ecuador. The classrooms of the Abdón Calderón N.4 Military School and Las Cumbres School will be filled with creativity, learning, and joy. Children and their families will participate in a ceramics workshop, decorating piggy banks with messages and symbols about health care, bacterial resistance, water, and holistic savings. All of this will be done by integrating ancestral knowledge, a sense of community, and joy as a path to a healthy and fulfilling life. Additionally, the activity will feature a puppet show and the support of students from the Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine programs at the University of Cuenca.
Inter-University Dialogue a
21 November. Bolivia. An inter-university dialogue will be held between the Public University of El Alto and the Higher University of San Andrés. This meeting invites students, teachers, agricultural experts, civil society representatives, and public sector authorities to collectively reflect on AMR, its relationship with food, agricultural production, and the effects of the climate crisis, from a comprehensive One Health perspective.
Let’s Make History by Telling Our Stories: Children from Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina
25 November. Online. Children from Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina, along with their families and teachers, will gather in a virtual cultural meeting to share their stories about hand washing, infection prevention, antibiotic resistance, and the fascinating microbial world. And that’s not all! These stories will be published in January 2025, so more people can be inspired by the actions and dreams of our little big health caretakers.
Art, recreation and health events
21 November. Colombia. The Corporación Cultural Canchimalos in Medellín will host art, recreation, and health events, together with children and their families. Through traditional games and materials from the Educational Satchel project, participants will explore the microbial world and the importance of health care in a fun and creative way.
2nd Forum on Bacterial Antimicrobial Resistance
November. Peru. The Faculty of Biological Sciences at the National University of the Altiplano in Puno, in collaboration with ReAct Latin America, will host the 2nd Forum on Bacterial Antimicrobial Resistance in the context of One Health. During this space, seminars and talks with students on antimicrobial resistance will be developed.
AMR story writing workshop
October to November. Peru. Four sessions. The “Gilda Ballivián Rosado” Public Higher Technological Institute in San Juan de Miraflores will host an AMR story writing workshop aimed at young students. Through this activity, participants will creatively and reflectively explore the impact of AMR on human and environmental health, sharing their experiences and ideas, and learning to communicate the importance of caring for antibiotics and life through narrative and creativity.
Participatory meetings on AMR
November to December. Argentina. Participatory meeting with 60 promoters from the Ministry of Health’s Community Health program, where antimicrobial resistance will be addressed from a community and One Health perspective. The events will offer dialogues between academia and community knowledge, workshops for the socialization of the “School Health and Microbial World” Educational Satchel (Alforja Educativa), and playful activities like games and songs, to understand the role of microorganisms in human and planetary health.
ReAct 20 years celebrations: Release of online catalogue of RLA’s action-research publications
4 December. As part of the commemoration of ReAct’s 20th anniversary we will have a virtual meeting to present the online catalogue of ReAct Latin America’s collaborative, participatory action-research publications on AMR.
Date: December 4th
Time: 5:00 PM Ecuador
More from "2025"
- ReAct 2026: Six focus areas
- Sweden’s new Strategy on Antimicrobial Resistance
- 80 Years since the Nobel Prize for penicillin: Saving lives, facing resistance
- Zambia for WAAW: Maarifa kids book day
- Latin American “Minga” for World AMR Awareness Week
- ReAct Asia Pacific: young voices and artistic expression
- Workshop at Uppsala University: AMR and community engagement
- New Asia-Pacific Youth AMR Task Force!
- 3 questions to ZDOROVI – ReAct’s new partner in Ukraine
- ReAct activities for World AMR Awareness Week 2025
- ReAct highlights World AMR Awareness Week 2025
- Unlocking AMR Financing: Optimizing international resources for an accelerated response to antibiotic resistance
- Impressions from the World Health Summit 2025: Taking responsibility for health in a fragmenting world
- New ReAct AMR podcast in Africa!
- ReAct recommendations to strengthen the Global Action Plan on AMR
- ReAct 20 in Latin America: 3 publications on action on AMR and care for life
- ReAct 20: Two decades of empowering communities: A global call to invest in grassroots AMR Action
- Give evidence real power: What an Independent Panel on AMR can and should do
- ReAct Project: Building resilience against AMR amid conflict in Ukraine
- Shaping the future of AMR evidence-based action: Insights into the IPEA founding document and consultations
- Zambia: Engaging children in AMR through play-based methods
- 1 year after the UNGA High-Level meeting on AMR – Where are we now?
- 10 key takeaways from the Asia Pacific AMR Conference 2025
- Join ReAct 20 years webinar: Research, action, community participation in addressing antibiotic resistance
- Regional workshop in Ecuador: Towards sustainable and healthy agri-food systems
- Join online! Asia-Pacific AMR Conference 2025: From Global Declarations to Regional Action
- Why youth voices matter for stronger action on antibiotic resistance
- National media workshop in Delhi calls for urgent action on AMR
- Join ReAct 20 years webinar! The past, present, and future of community engagement on AMR
- The 8th International Congress of Socio-Environmental Health, Rosario, Argentina
- First quick takeaways from the ReAct Africa and South Centre Annual Conference
- ReAct Report: Two decades of impactful, community-driven action
- Ecuador: Play and art to educate on health and antibiotic resistance
- Reflecting on WHA78: Progress, gaps, and the path forward for antibiotic resistance and global health governance
- ReAct Latin America celebrates 20 years of multi-sectoral action on antibiotic resistance
- ReAct Asia Pacific wins prestigious Trinity Challenge Award for “Campus to Farm” initiative
- Join ReAct Africa and South Centre Conference online!
- Renewed Sida funding boosts ReAct’s global efforts!
- Highlighting the first 1000 days of life on World Health Day
- ReAct Impact Report: How ReAct’s work helped move the needle in 2023-2024
- ReAct reflection on ESCMID Global conference 2025
- The youngest scientists: Teacher Marianela Carrapizo about Alforja for young children
- Accelerating the global AMR response in the context of global health financing crisis
- Empowering the next generation: ReAct Africa and Beleza Talent Agency host community cleanup on World Water Day
- A regional meeting to explore the link between water, food, and antibiotics
- AI-Powered antibiotic stewardship: ReAct Asia Pacific’s consultation
- ReAct 20 years: Launch of new Toolbox page for youth!
- Reflecting on infection, life, ecology on World Water Day
- ReAct Africa launches Youth Innovation Hub to address AMR
- A living laboratory for learning: The school garden as an educational tool
- India: Strengthening partnerships for stronger action on AMR
- ReAct’s Mirfin Mpundu: Heartbreak leads to hope for global AMR advocate
- Healthy eating fair: Learning about food, ecosystem and microbes
- ReAct Africa Youth Impact Report: Mobilizing young people for stronger action on antimicrobial resistance
- ReAct 2025 ambitions: increase political will, strengthen civil society engagement and address barriers to access
- One Health and Climate Change Hub: A bold step towards integrating AMR into the public health agenda
- Policy brief IDEC ReAct Latin America
- Children lead the way: ReAct’s novel approach to address antibiotic resistance
- ReAct Policy Brief: Sustainable antibiotic production