The 2024 symposium centers on the importance of people-focused health systems that are responding to global change and looking to protect our planet for the future. The conference has four sub-themes: 1) strengthening health systems for planetary health; 2) advancing justice, belonging, and inclusion in health systems, in times of peace and conflict; 3) health governance, policy, and institutional frameworks for just and sustainable health systems; and 4) knowledge for just health systems.