The Global Society on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health: why race can’t be ignored even if it causes discomfort

The first World Congress on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health took place in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2018, jointly hosted by the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) with the scientific abstracts published by the EJPH.1 Migration, ethnicity and race are sensitive yet unavoidable topics in today’s globalized, multicultural societies.2 Their impact on health and well-being is beyond doubt, but understanding how and why and addressing the consequent disparities and injustices are huge global challenges. The aim of the Congress was to bring together researchers, practitioners, community members, activists and policymakers from across the world who were working on at least one of these three intersecting health-related topics. It was driven by a vision that much would be gained by sharing information, insights and concerns and working together to improve the health of all. At the outset, there was a fierce debate about its name, in particular about whether to include the word race. Some argued it was a discredited concept. It was decided to retain it while providing Congress participants with a glossary of definitions for migration, ethnicity, race and other related words, aimed at creating a shared vocabulary and enhancing mutual understanding.3The Congress was highly successful. One outcome was a decision to set up a Global Society to further the aims of the Congress by stimulating research and debate and promoting positive change. However, the controversy about race was reignited during the Working Committee’s preparations for launching the Global Society, leading to a series of deep and heartfelt discussions. Many alternatives titles were considered including placing inverted commas around race, switching it to racism or race relations and removing it from the title. The latter was probably the easiest way to smooth our path. After long deliberation, however, a near unanimous consensus was reached to retain the original title. Here, we explain why.