Uniting for impact: CoMO conference 2025, Cape Town

The CoMO Conference 2025 will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 20–22 June 2025. This gathering marks a historic milestone; it’s the first time the conference will be hosted on the African continent. It brings together CoMO members from across the globe to share knowledge, celebrate progress, and align on the next steps toward defeating meningitis by 2030. 

This conference is an important time for members to come together as 2025 is the halfway point in the World Health Organisation (WHO) global road map to defeat meningitis by 2030. The Road Map has three goals: end bacterial meningitis epidemics, reduce cases of vaccine-preventable bacterial meningitis by 50%, and deaths by 70%, reduce disability and improve quality of life after meningitis. The conference is a chance to review our collective advocacy work and assess if we are on track to defeat meningitis by 2030. 

About the conference 

The CoMO conference is a yearly gathering that brings together CoMO members. We have 45 people attending the conference this year. This includes members, the CoMO membership team, external speakers and Advisory Council representatives for three days of collaboration. Each conference provides a unique opportunity to build stronger connections within the network and develop a unified approach to advocacy efforts. 

Colouring book by Meningitis Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand

At the conference, members have the opportunity to bring their meningitis advocacy materials and share them with others. This can lead to inspiring collaborations where members get inspiration from each other's work. From past conferences, people have left with ideas of creating their own meningitis information fridge magnets or colouring books. 

2025 agenda highlights 

When planning this CoMO conference we wanted as much input from members as possible. From our surveys and talks with CoMO members we discovered three main areas that people wanted to be covered, these were training opportunities, working with other members and supporting advocacy efforts. 

Training opportunities 

We have put together a 2-hour training session on ‘harnessing social media for effective meningitis advocacy’ given by social media specialist, Michael Salzwedel. This will be recorded and shared in the members’ area for all members to watch after the CoMO conference. The session will focus on enhancing reach and engagement on key platforms, crafting compelling stories to connect with diverse audiences and much more. 

Working with other members 

Working with other CoMO members was a common request so we decided to begin the conference on Friday, 20 June, with a welcome reception as a chance to get to know all attendees. This informal evening will include dinner and drinks, setting the tone for the collaborative days ahead. As well as this, we have built in multiple structured networking sessions and working opportunities to allow members to engage with people from other regions and build relationships that can lead to cross-border collaborations. These sessions include spotlighting members work and a breakout session focusing on supporting people affected by meningitis. 

Supporting advocacy efforts 

We wanted to make sure members feel supported in their advocacy efforts and know what to do going forward. To do this we have planned a science update session based on supporting people living with after-effects of meningitis. This session will draw on CoMO members’ unique perspective to look how we can challenge the way we think about meningitis, to increase awareness of and action to support the functional and psychosocial long-term effects of meningitis. 

We will also have a dedicated Race to 2030 workshop focused on developing a national plans on meningitis. We will work with members to draft messages for national and regional decision makers, explore effective ways to engage with governments and learn from the expertise of global members. 

Who will be there? 

This event is open only to current CoMO members, which includes a diverse group of individuals and organisations united by a common goal: to defeat meningitis. There will be representatives from all CoMO regions, (Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Americas) including civil society organisations, those with lived experience of meningitis and health care professionals.  

We have received funding that enables us to subsidise the attendance of some members from all CoMO regions. This support helps cover travel and expenses, making it easier for members to attend the conference. It also promotes a more diverse and representative group by including voices from low-income countries, where the burden of meningitis is greatest, ensuring they are part of this vital conversation on defeating the disease. 

The strength of the CoMO network lies in its diversity. Each member brings unique knowledge and experiences, which shape our approach to advocacy and ensure our voice is truly global. The conference provides the ideal environment for members to learn from one another and explore new ways to collaborate across regions and cultures. 

Why Cape Town? 

Hosting the 2025 conference in Cape Town reflects CoMO’s commitment to global representation. The conference is held in a different CoMO region each year to further strengthen international participation and inclusion. Africa has long played a critical role in the global fight against meningitis, especially given the burden of the disease in parts of the continent. By bringing the conference to this vibrant and historically rich city, we aim to honour the advocacy efforts of our African members and highlight the regional importance of meningitis prevention and response. 

Final thoughts 

The CoMO Conference 2025 is more than just a meeting, it’s a moment of unity. It’s a time for us to come together, not only to look back at what we’ve accomplished, but to look ahead with renewed energy and vision. 

We’re excited to welcome our members to Cape Town in June 2025. Learn more about this years CoMO conference here. 

If you want to attend next years conference and aren’t a member yet, learn more about membership and apply now.