WHWB Saeed Awan 2026 Conference focuses on asbestos and worker health

The WHWB Saeed Awan 2026 Conference, an international event focused on occupational risk prevention and health protection, was held on September 29, 2026. This year's edition centered on the themes of asbestos, worker health, and justice for victims.

The conference was dedicated to the memory of Éric Jonckheere, a Belgian activist who spent his life fighting for asbestos victims and seeking a global ban on the substance. Jonckheere’s activism was driven by personal tragedy; his father, mother, and two brothers died of mesothelioma after working with or being exposed to asbestos at an Eternit cement-asbestos plant in Belgium, which utilized materials sourced from Canada. Jonckheere himself passed away in December 2024 after battling the disease.

A prominent figure in the Belgian association ABEVA, Jonckheere worked internationally with organizations in countries including the United States, Japan, India, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada to advocate for stricter international controls on asbestos.