The Global Alcohol Policy Conference (GAPC2017), Mobilising for change: Alcohol policy and the evidence for action, was held from 4-6 October 2017 in Melbourne, Australia.
Prof David Jernigan presenting the Melbourne Communique
In his summary at the closing of the GAPC2017 Professor David Jernigan, chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance, reported the hard facts about the conference:
- 331 delegates,
- 40 countries represented,
- three thematic pre-conferences,
- nine plenary sessions,
- 20 concurrent sessions and 12 workshops.
- A total of 120 oral presentations
The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA), Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), and National Alliance for Action on Alcohol Harm (NAAA) hosted this important international conference.
The GAPCs, organised every second year, have become the leading forum for the world’s alcohol policy makers, researchers and practitioners. Melbourne, Australia was fifth such event, following the successful conferences in USA (2000), Thailand (2012), South Korea (2013) and Scotland (2015). In the closing session the GAPC flag was handed over to Pubudu Sumanasekara from Sri Lanka, which will be the host country in 2019.
GAPC2017 maintained the tradition of focusing on advocacy, overcoming vested interests in alcohol policy development and the need for international collaboration to stop the harm caused by alcohol. A number of presentations addressed aspects of how the international drinks industry is pushing new markets in low and middle income countries through policy.
The conference forged links between evidence and action, using rigorous alcohol policy research to inform effective responses at local, state, national and international levels. In the final session the Conference Communique (pdf) was presented.
The DrinkTank website is full of documentation, post event updates and videos from the conference.
More information about the conference is available at the GAPC2017 website.
Some pictures from the conference
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- A traditional opening by Ian Hunter welcoming delegates to the land of the Wurindjeri people of the Kulin Nation
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- Opening address by Mr Michael Moore from the Public Health Association of Australia
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- Opening address by Mr Michael Thorn from Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE)
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- Opening address by Prof Sally Casswell, Chair of the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA)
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- Key note address by Mr Dag Rekve from World Health Organization
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- Ms Paula Johns and Mr Robert Pezzolesi reporting from the regional meeting of the Americas
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- Conference staff from PHAA made everything run smoothly
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- Ms Lebohang Letsela and Mr Gerry Mshana representing the STRIVE project
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- Part of the good delegation from Sri Lanka
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- Ms Aadielah Marker from the South African Alcohol Policy Alliance being interviewed at the GAPA booth
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- Prof Sally Casswell launching of the Book of Abstracts from the International Alcohol Control study
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- Luncheon oration by Ms June Oscar AO, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Australian Human Rights Commission
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- Poster presentations
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- Mr Issah Ali from Ghana presenting
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- Prof Isidore Obot chairing a session
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- Keynote speakers Dr Anthony Lynham, Dr Bronwyn King and Dr Supreda Adulayanon in the panel discussion folloing their presentations.
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- Prof Jeff Collin presenting on the links between unhealthy product industries
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- Prof Kypros Kypri engaging during concurrent session
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- Mr Maik Dünnbier and Ms Kristina Sperkova of IOGT International
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- Filming of the Q and A panel session
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- Q and A panel session Prof. David Jeringan, Prof. Timothy Stockwell, Prof. Ian Gilmore, Ms Katherine Brown, Dr Lisa Suddert and Dr Nicki Jackson
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- Sharing experience from the tobacco field: Ms. Paula Johns
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- Ms Aadielah Marker of the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance sharing the experience of the campaign against “Beers for Africa”.
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- Handing over: Next GAPC2019 will be in Sri Lanka. Michael Moore and Pubudu sumanasekara.