It is a pleasure to write this editorial for our June newsletter. In recent months, COTEC and its members have actively contributed to national and international dialogues, ensuring that the voice of Occupational Therapy is present where it is needed: in health policy, in rights-based frameworks, in community planning, and the design of inclusive systems. This was evident by our presence at the Austrian, Greek and Spanish Occupational Therapy Congresses and the collaboration with the Cypriot Occupational Therapy Association. These reflect renewed partnerships, shared priorities, and solidarity across our network. These are not just events on a calendar, they are milestones in shaping how Occupational Therapy is seen, understood, and valued.
COTEC’s presence in regional and international policy spaces has deepened. Our participation in the EuroHealthNet General Meeting and contributions to the EUPHA midterm conference show our capacity to influence broad public health and social agendas. In a landscape shaped by post-pandemic restructuring, environmental concerns, demographic shifts, and rising social inequity, Occupational Therapy offers something urgently needed: a practice grounded in participation, meaning, and justice.
Visibility is not just about speaking up, it’s about seeing one another, too. This newsletter highlights the impressive work of some of our Member Associations, as well as the ongoing development of platforms like ECHOES, which aim to connect practitioners, amplify voices, and share innovations. Equally important is the behind-the-scenes work—interim reporting, advocacy coordination, and data gathering—that keeps our shared goals sustainable.
To everyone who is contributing to this shared vision—through clinical care, education, research, governance, and advocacy. Your ability to influence change, even quietly and persistently, ripples far beyond your immediate context.
Occupational Therapy belongs at the center of conversations about the future of health, inclusion, and human rights in Europe. This newsletter is not just a summary of what has been done. It is an invitation to keep building together.
Wishing you all a reflective, energising, and meaningful summer,
Anneliis Aavik
Member of the COTEC Executive Committee