Events and activities

Global Alcohol Policy Alliance is co-host of the Global Alcohol Policy Conference held every two years. GAPA holds and participates in numerous other events, some of which are outlined below.

Successful GAPC 2023 held in Cape Town

The 7th Global Alcohol Policy Conference was held in Cape Town, South Africa 24-26 October 2023. 521 participants from 55 countries attended the rich program over three days. GAPC is the leading forum for the world’s alcohol policy makers, advocates, researchers, civil society activists and practitioners. With its high level of heavy episodic drinking and related harms, and its long history of challenges in getting policy shifts in areas such as controls on alcohol marketing and retail sales of alcohol, South Africa will be an ideal venue in which to discuss alcohol policy and in which to host GAPC 2023.

GAPC Overview

Every two years GAPA co-host the Global Alcohol Policy Conference (GAPC) together with local hosts. The The 6th GAPC was held in Dublin Ireland 2022. The 7th GAPC is planned for Cape Town in 2023, two years delayed compared to the original plan, due to COVID-19.

GAPA Virtual Event 2022

GAPA Virtual Event 12-13 October 2022 offered interactive sessions in three different time zones. Each day there was a session with key-note speakers which was followed by a regional session with comments from a panel of regional representatives and discussion among participants. Video keynote presentations are available.

Previous events

2020-2024

February 20, 2024 –February 22, 2024

RESET Alcohol Partner Meeting held in Mexico City

Three representatives from the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) joined the recent partner-meeting for the RESET Alcohol initiative. The meeting focused on progress in project countries and the strong evidence for alcohol taxation as a win-win measure to reduce alcohol harm and generate revenue.

October 12, 2021 –October 14, 2021

GAPA Virtual Event 2021

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance Virtual Event 2021 was held 12-14 October 2021. The event offered three interactive sessions each day in different time zones. See the keynote presentations, a report from the discussions and comments provided during the event.

April 1, 2020 –May 31, 2020

GAPA Global online forum

GAPA hosted a series of online discussions on Workplace post GAPC 2020.

March 9, 2020 –March 11, 2020

GAPC 2020 in Dublin, Ireland

The 6th Global Alcohol Policy Conference (GAPC) was held in Dublin Ireland in 9-11 March 2020.

2018-2019

January 31, 2019 –February 3, 2019

GAPA active at the Prince Mahidol Award Conference 2019

Several GAPA representatives participated in the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) in Bangkok, 31 January – 3 February.

January 29, 2019 –January 30, 2019

Framework Convention on Alcohol Control: Why and How?

GAPA co-hosted two side meetings at PMAC in Bangkok Thailand, 29-30 January 2019

January 1, 2018 –December 31, 2018

Other meetings 2018

GAPA involvement in miscellaneous events in 2018

October 2, 2018

The Great Debate

On 2 October 2018 GAPA Chair Professor Sally Casswell debated with Scott Ratzan of the AB InBev Foundation about the opportunities and challenges of private-sector collaborations with academic public health in an event organised by the Boston University School of Public Health.

March 2, 2018

Meeting between Global Fund and NGOs concerned over Heineken partnership

Meeting between Global Fund, GAPA, IOGT International and NCD Alliance regarding Global Fund partnership with Heineken .

2015-2017

January 1, 2015 –December 31, 2017

Other events 2015-2017

Miscellaneous events 2016-2017

October 4, 2017 –October 6, 2017

GAPC 2017 Mobilising for change

GAPC 2017, Mobilising for change: Alcohol policy and the evidence for action, was held from 4-6 October 2017 in Melbourne, Australia.

June 26, 2017 –June 28, 2017

WHO Forum on alcohol, drugs and addictive behaviour

WHO Forum on alcohol, drugs and addictive behaviour, 26-28 June 2017, Geneva, Switzerland.

August 26, 2016

Curbing industry marketing of harmful products to young people

Seminar 26 August 2016: “Curbing industry marketing of harmful products to young people” in Cape Town, with Health Promotion and Development Foundation Network, South Africa.

May 26, 2016

World Health Assembly side event discusses alcohol marketing

A side event on “Alcohol Marketing in the Digital World” was held at the World Health Assembly in Geneva 26 May 2016, where GAPA Chair, Professor Sally Casswell, spoke

October 7, 2015 –October 9, 2015

GAPC 2015 in Edinburgh

GAPC 2015 with the theme “Momentum for change: research and advocacy reducing alcohol harm” was held in Edinburgh, Scotland from 7-9 October 2015.

2010-2014

May 16, 2014

GAPA meeting in Brazil

16 May 2014, Meeting in Brazil: Seminário Internacional; Álcool & Violência a Influência da industria do álcool, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

October 7, 2013 –October 9, 2013

GAPC 2013 in Seoul, South Korea

GAPC 2013 was held in Seoul South Korea 7-9 October 2013 with the topic “Alcohol; Civil Society and Public Health – From Local and National Action to Global Change”.

April 30, 2012

WHO-NGO Dialogue meeting on NCDs

30 April 2012, 2nd NCD NGO Dialogue meeting, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland

February 13, 2012 –February 15, 2012

GAPC 2012, Nonthaburi, Thailand

GAPC 2012 was held 13–15 February 2012, with the theme “From Global Strategies to Local Actions” in Nonthaburi, Thailand.

January 1, 2011 –December 31, 2011

Other meetings in 2011

GAPA’s Chair and Secretary were represented in a number of other events during 2011.

September 19, 2011 –September 20, 2011

UN High Level Meeting on NCDs

19–20 September 2011, New York, USA, UN High-level meeting on NCDs.

June 16, 2011

Civil Society NCD Hearing

16 June, Civil Society Informal Interactive Hearing on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, United Nations, New York, USA

2005-2009

November 24, 2008 –November 25, 2008

WHO Roundtable meeting

WHO Roundtable meeting with NGOs and health professionals on ways they could contribute to reducing harmful use of alcohol, 24-25 November 2008,

October 9, 2006

WHO meeting with stakeholders

9 October 2006, Geneva, Switzerland, Participated in the WHO meeting with stakeholders on health problems related to alcohol consumption in Geneva;

August 11, 2006 –August 12, 2006

Alcohol Policy Conference and launch of APAPA

11–12 August 2006, Bangkok, Thailand – Alcohol Policy Conference, organised and hosted by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Stop Drink Network; and Launch of the Asia and Pacific Alcohol Policy Alliance;

April 24, 2006 –April 25, 2006

WHO consultation on Public health problems caused by harmful use of alcohol

Meeting between WHO secretariat and representatives from 20 nongovernmental organisations in Geneva 24–25 April 2006

December 9, 2005 –December 12, 2005

GAPA – Asia Pacific Conference in Auckland

Meeting with Asia Pacific NGOs, Auckland, New Zealand, 9-12 December 2005.

2000-2004

September 24, 2004 –September 28, 2004

GAPA attends first meeting on Alcohol and Health in the Pacific

Meeting on Alcohol and Health in the Pacific, 24-28 September 2004

September 23, 2004

GAPA meets with Asia Pacific NGOs

Meeting with Asia Pacific NGOs, 23 September 2004

March 20, 2004 –March 21, 2004

India consultation held

Consultation on the formation of an Indian Alcohol Policy Alliance, Delhi, 20–21 March 2004

September 24, 2003

GAPA meeting with Eurocare and WHO

GAPA meeting with Eurocare and WHO – 24 September 2003

December 15, 2002 –December 16, 2002

Regional workshop in Asia

Asian regional workshop on “Strengthening Alcohol Control Policy” 15–16 December 2002, Bangkok, Thailand

November 24, 2001 –November 25, 2001

South East Asia Consultation

GAPA consultation meeting, 24–25 November 2001 in Bangkok, Thailand

August 31, 2000 –August 6, 2000

GAPC 2000, Syracuse, USA

The Inaugural Global Alcohol Policy Conference was held 31 July – 6 August 2000 in Syracuse, New York State, USA.