International collaboration and youth engagement take centre stage at the upcoming iCAN’s 12th Summit
The TEDDY Network is proud to announce the participation of iCAN Summit 2026, taking place at Barretstown, County Kildare, Ireland, from 12 – 17 July 2026. Organised under the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN), the annual iCAN Summit 2026, represents an international platform for strengthening youth engagement in healthcare, research, and innovation. In 2026, iCAN’s 12th Summit will provide an inclusive and accessible camp‑style environment focused on participation, exchange, and collaboration.
TEDDY has been actively engaged within the iCAN community since supporting the establishment of its first TEDDY KIDS Young Persons’ Advisory Groups (YPAGs), including KIDS Bari and KIDS Albania in 2017, contributing to the promotion of meaningful child and youth participation in paediatric research and healthcare. This collaboration is further reflected through the contribution of Donato Bonifazi, Chair of the TEDDY Network, who serves as a member of the iCAN Advisory Board.
Special recognition is given by the TEDDY Network to the contribution of Suja Somanadhan in her capacity as Co-Organiser of the iCAN Summit 2026. She is a member of the TEDDY Board of Directors, Chapter Leader of KIDS RAiN, one of the Young Persons’ Advisory Groups (YPAGs) within the TEDDY KIDS Network and contributes to the TEDDY Working Group on Children Engagement and Advocacy. She also serves as Associate Professor of Children’s Nursing and Associate Dean for Global Engagement at University College Dublin.
Participation at this year’s event includes young representatives from the Young Persons Advisory Groups (YPAGs) that are members of the TEDDY KIDS Network, including:
- KIDS Albania
- KIDS Bari
- KIDS Kosova
- KIDS Umbria
- KIDS RAiN
- eye-YPAG
- POLPEDNET KIDS Warsaw
The participation of the TEDDY KIDS Network at this international gathering reflects the network’s continued commitment to strengthening child and youth engagement across research, healthcare, and innovation. By bringing together YPAG representatives from different countries and backgrounds, the iCAN Summit creates opportunities for collaboration, shared learning, and meaningful exchange of experiences.
By bringing together young advisors, researchers, clinicians, and advocates in Ireland this July, iCAN Summit 2026 will create opportunities to exchange experiences, strengthen collaboration, and promote meaningful child and youth participation in research and healthcare.
TEDDY Network looks forward to supporting and celebrating the contributions of all participating YPAGs and to continuing to promote meaningful youth engagement at international level.