WHO-ITU Consultation on the Make Listening Safe Initiative
Geneva, Switzerland, 1-3 July 2025
Chaired by: Dr Guy Fones, Director a.i. Department for Noncommunicable Diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability
Session 1: 09:00-10:20 Introduction |
8:30-9:00
| Registration
|
9:00-9:10
|
Opening session
-
Guy Fones, Director a.i. Department for Noncommunicable Diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability, Director WHO
-
Bilel Jamoussi, Deputy to the TSB Director, ITU
|
9:10-9:35
| Ten Years of Make Listening Safe: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities
-
Shelly Chadha, Researcher, WHO Technical lead for ear and hearing care
-
Simao Campos, Counsellor, ITU-T Study Groups and AI for Health
|
| 9:35-10:20 |
Introductions
|
10:20-11:00
| Group Photo and Coffee Break
|
Session 2: 11:00-13:00 Looking back
|
11:00-11:45
|
Making Listening Safe across the World: Snapshots
|
11:45-12:30
| Panel Discussion on Success Stories
|
12:30-13:00
| Reflections
|
13:00-14:00
|
Lunch Break
|
Session 3: 14:00-15:30 Looking forward |
14:00-14:30
|
Looking Ahead: 2035 Ambitions
|
14:30-14:45
|
How Do We Get There: Introduction to Call for Commitments
-
Shelly Chadha, Researcher, WHO
|
14:45-15:45
|
Group Work on Call for Commitments
-
Four breakout groups: H; K1; K2; G3 (remote participation only in the main room)
|
15:45-16:15
|
Coffee Break
|
Session 4: 16:15-17:45 Looking forward II |
16:15-17:00
|
Reflections on Call
|
17:00-17:10
|
Emerging Issues: Sources of unsafe listening
-
Lauren Dillard, Senior Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Private Equity Management Committee
|
17:10-17:20
|
Emerging issues: Impact of digitally treated sound
-
Paul Avan, Director of the Center for Research and Innovation in Human Audiology, Hearing Institute
|
17:20-17:40
|
Questions, discussions
|
Day 2: Wednesday, 2 July 2025
|
09:00-17:00 Thematic group work sessions |
9:00-17:00
| Thematic group work sessions are structured breakout discussions designed to support focused, in-depth exploration of key topics within the Make Listening Safe initiative. Each group centres on a specific theme – devices and systems, venues and live events, research protocols, or advocacy and awareness. Participants join based on their interest, expertise, or relevance to their work.
These sessions provide space to:
- Exchange insights, experiences, and evidence across sectors and regions.
- Address shared challenges and co-create solutions.
- Develop actionable recommendations, implementation pathways, or research ideas aligned with the initiative's goals.
Each group is facilitated and guided by a purpose, objectives, and discussion prompts, and may lead to collaborative proposals or future working frameworks. |
Group A – Devices, Systems, Video Gameplay & Esports
Chair: Masahito Kawamori
WHO facilitator: Shelly Chadha
Purpose: To explore opportunities for embedding safe listening standards (ITU-T H.870 and H.872) and principles into personal listening devices, systems, and platforms for video gameplay and esports.
Objectives:
-
Promote broader adoption of ITU-T H.870 and H.872 among manufacturers.
-
Develop a roadmap for implementing conformance testing protocols.
-
Improve dosimetry accuracy in personal listening devices.
- Raise industry-wide awareness through trade associations and forums.
- Map stakeholders and opportunities for advancing safe listening integration.
|
Group B – Venues & Events
Chair: Adam Hill
WHO facilitator: Arveen Sodhi
Purpose: To support the global uptake and localisation of WHO’s standard for safe listening in venues and live events.
Objectives:
Identify implementation opportunities and barriers in diverse event settings. Integrate the standard into professional training and informal pathways. Embed the standard in policies, licensing, and certification systems. Learn from successful grassroots, corporate, and festival implementations. Engage target stakeholders and professional bodies for wider adoption. - Develop strategies for lobbying governments and Member States.
|
|
Group C – Research Protocols
Chair: Adrian Fuente
WHO facilitator: Lauren Dillard
Purpose: To finalise a shared research protocol for assessing recreational sound exposure and its impact on hearing, and to identify global research priorities.
Objectives:
- Finalise the WHO/ITU research protocol for cross-contextual field testing.
- Standardise and adapt research questionnaires for different populations.
Assess the utility of large datasets (e.g. Apple Hearing Study). Explore emerging research topics (e.g. dosimetry, behaviours, social factors). Develop strategies for collaboration, funding, and dissemination.
|
|
Group D – Advocacy & Awareness
Chair: Hayatee Hasan and Carolina Der
WHO facilitator: Carolina Der
Purpose: To develop coordinated strategies for raising awareness and driving action through advocacy, education, and cross-sector partnerships.
Objectives:
- Review current advocacy efforts, with a focus on WHO materials such as Smart Hearing for Children.
- Identify messaging themes for different audiences.
- Strategize approaches for engaging teenage populations.
- Address gaps related to hearing damage symptoms such as tinnitus.
- Map potential partners (influencers, educators, associations, media).
- Leverage existing campaigns and global events for amplification.
- Engage institutions and funders to prioritise safe listening.
- Ensure inclusive, culturally relevant messaging for underserved settings.
|
|
09:00-11:00 Thematic group work session
11:30-13:00 Plenary discussion and closure |
9:00-11:00
| Continuation of Thematic Group Work Sessions.
|
11:00-11:30
| Coffee break
|
11:30-13:00
|
Plenary Session and Meeting Close
|
14:30-17:30 ITU Q2/21 Rapporteur Meeting |
14:30-17:30
| ITU Q2/21 Rapporteur Meeting
-
Masahito Kawamori, Editor, ITU-T Recommendation H.870, “Guidelines for Safe-listening Devices/Systems”
- Members of Q2/21
|
Contact: tsbevents@itu.int
