Odyssey for our health with the European Tour of Solutions 2025-2027

When mutual insurance companies demand action to protect our health from pesticides, and when they team up with some organic companies and motivated citizens and cyclists, this can lead to a unique, powerful mobilization tool to raise awareness in many cities across Europe on the need to increase organic agriculture.

The Tour d’Europe des solutions aims to open up a new chapter in public health by promoting a new direction towards pesticide-free agriculture. This new course is inspired by the victories achieved over the danger posed – and still posed – by exposure to asbestos. In this case, mutual insurance companies were a major force in obtaining compensation for victims and a ban on asbestos in France in 1997 and in Europe in 2005. This Tour is organised by the Mutuelles pour la santé planétaire association and numerous scientific partners, associations, trade unions, companies, etc.

The Tour d’Europe des solutions is part of the Mutuelles’ 2025-2027 action plan for global health. It aims to:

• Inform and mobilise the people protected by mutual societies as well as the European population
• Influence and educate local, national and European politicians about the links between public health, the agricultural model and global health.
• Contribute to public debate by organising 100 events in 7 European countries (Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany).

The European Tour of solutions will be launched with a public gathering in front of the European Parliament on Saturday, 27 September at 14:00. A caravan made up of brave cyclists, victims of pesticides, a travelling exhibition, a brass band, activities to educate children, etc. It will first travel across Belgian cities and then in the North of France from 27 September to 10 October. After the next steps in several countries in 2026, it will finish with a major event in 2027 in Brussels.

IFOAM Organics Europe fully supports this alliance with major actors of the health sector, and so does La Maison de la Bio in France, with several organic companies and retailers supporting the tour with some products or financial contributions. Such citizen initiatives are crucial to turn the political tide and make it clear that citizens expect policy-makers to protect their health, the environment, and to support organic

agriculture. We encourage organic associations and companies to take this opportunity to show how active the organic movement is in transforming our food system! More information on mutuelles-sante-planetaire.com.

A presentation of the first steps of the tour is available on YouTube.

Stage towns: 27 September in Brussels, 28 September in Braives, 29 September in Liège, 30 September in Gembloux and Namur, 1 October in Philippeville, 2 October in Charleroi, 3 October in Mons, 4 October in Somain, 5 October in Cambrai, 6 October (to be defined), 7 October in La Vallée-au-blé, 8 October in Péronne, 9 October in Amiens.