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Issue 1| April 2025
Dear Colleagues,
As we advance through 2025, I am pleased to share updates on WPA’s collective efforts to promote excellence, equity, and global collaboration in psychiatry.
Final Preparations for the WPA World Congress in Prague Oct 5-8, 2025
The Scientific Committee is finalising the program for the WPA’s upcoming World Congress of Psychiatry in Prague, Czech Republic, from October 5-8, 2025.
In the congress, advances of science and their application in clinical practice will be presented and stored on the WPA platform, called the Specialist Corner. The lectures, presented by leading experts will address various psychiatric diagnoses, commented on from the perspectives on prevention, healthy lifestyles, caregiver involvement, digital psychiatry, and ethics.
The Scientific Committee is also finalising the selection of plenary sessions and symposia, guided by the EDIT principles—ensuring Equality across genders, ages, and ethnicities, observing Developmental stages from childhood to adulthood and beyond, Inclusion, and Transcultural awareness and perspectives. We ask submitters to encounter for the EDIT principle in the research field they present in order to increase visibility and raise awareness of current gaps in knowledge and how they influence clinical practices. In the choice of the programme, the scientific merit of the submitted proposals has an overriding priority, coupled with the consideration of geographical spread and over and underrepresented topics. This approach aims to enhance the visibility of diverse voices and gaps in psychiatric research.
Strengthening Global Partnerships
In alignment with my 2023–2026 Action Plan, I have engaged with numerous regional and national psychiatric associations, prioritising my presence in person when several WPA member societies from the same continent are represented, as shown below. These collaborations are vital for harmonising WPA member societies’ efforts to improve mental health worldwide.
North and South America
I joined the Latin American Psychiatric Association’s (APAL) regional congress ‘¡Navegando hacia la psiquiatría del futuro!’ and signed, on behalf of the WPA, the ‘Agreement of the Americas’. I further followed up our member societies’ activities by attending the American Psychiatric Association (APA) meetings and organising the World Congress of Psychiatry (WCP) in Mexico in November 2024.
Europe
The WPA member societies in Europe are gathered each year during the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) congress, which I follow on the regular basis in my roles as the President of the WPA in addition to being the former president of the EPA.
Asia
The work of colleagues on the Asian continent is followed by me with individual member societies of the WPA and recently by joining the Asian World Congress, organised by the Federation of Psychiatric Associations (AFPA) in Indonesia.
Africa
My individual links with African member societies of the WPA were reinforced by my attendance at the WPA Regional Congress “Embracing the complexity of mental health: neuroscientific foundations and novel interventions”, which took place in Alexandria, Egypt, and organised by the Egyptian Psychiatric Association and the Arab Federation of Psychiatrists.
Australia and New Zealand
WPA has had intense discussions to organize World Congress or Regional Congress on this continent and hopes to organise one in the future.
Looking Ahead
As we prepare for the 2025 World Congress of Psychiatry in Prague October 5-8th , I invite all members to participate in-person to share their research and also engage in discussions on current events and their influence on how they will shape the future of psychiatry.
With my best wishes,
Danuta
Prof. Danuta Wasserman
President, World Psychiatric Association
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Scroll down to read ALL the latest WPA news or use the links below to jump straight to items that interest you most. Please note that the links may not work on some mobile phone or tablet devices.
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We look forward to meeting with you at the 25th WCP
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Here you can find all the information about the WCP Congress 2025 and the Programme
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Updates from WPA Components
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Prof. Juan Mezzich, WPA Council Chair, gives an update from the latest WPA Council meeting. Read more here.
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Updates about Collaboration with the World Health Organization
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The World Psychiatric Association (WPA), as a non-state actor in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), continues to support global mental health priorities through active partnership and advocacy. This year, WPA is participating in the 78th World Health Assembly (27 May–1 June 2025), where it is presenting a statement emphasising that neurological and psychiatric disorders now account for more disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) than cancer or cardiovascular diseases combined. These disorders are not only widespread but deeply intertwined, sharing psychosocial risk factors such as poverty, social isolation, and discrimination. WPA urges that the WHO's Global Mental Health and Brain Health initiatives be advanced through a unifying strategy of Integral Brain Health, promoting collaboration across services and disciplines. As part of our engagement, WPA leverages its scientific sections to align with WHO action areas, reinforcing policy implementation at global and regional levels.
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Updates about the G7 Summit Meeting in Canada in June 2025
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In preparation for the 2025 G7 Summit the WPA, in collaboration with the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), is contributing to high-level conversations on the growing threat of brain and mental disorders in a world increasingly shaped by automation, demographic shifts, and artificial intelligence. These disorders—particularly depression, anxiety, and dementia—carry massive human and economic costs, with $1.2 trillion in lost income and $1.1 trillion in healthcare spending globally. WPA is advocating for the G7 nations to adopt “Integral Brain Health” as a unifying policy goal that spans prevention, treatment, and social support. This includes endorsing a working definition—“When thinking, feeling, and connecting with others is at its best in a safe, healthy, and supportive environment”—and promoting an Integral Brain Health Index to track progress. With G7 nations facing an acute birth-aging imbalance, WPA emphasises the urgency and capacity for these countries to lead community-level and scalable interventions to build brain capital and mental resilience.
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Updates from the ACRE (Advisory Committee on Responses to Emergencies) Special Interest Group
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Prof. Helen Herrman, ACRE Chair, provides an update on the latest activities managed by the committee. Read more here.
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Updates from WPA Special Interest Groups
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Prof. Muhammad Waqar Azeem, Chair of the WPA Medical Students Special Interest Group, is proud to launch the 2025 Medical Students Essay Competition, inviting future leaders in medicine to share ideas on reducing inequalities and promoting inclusion in mental health. Read more here.
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Professors Albert Persaud, Afzal Javed and Dinesh Bhugra report on the latest activities in the WPA Special Interest Group on Geopsychiatry. From actively leading webinars and launching new initiatives to participating in global events, you can read more here.
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Updates from WPA Scientific Sections
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Prof. Lamia Jouini (Section Chair) and the newly elected WPA Early Career Psychiatrists (ECP) Section Committee shares their vision, priorities, and exciting plans to empower ECPs and foster global collaboration in psychiatry. Read more here.
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Updates from WPA Collaborating Centres
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Prof. Kamaldeep Bhui, WPA Centre Director, University of Oxford, UK, highlights recent initiatives and upcoming events from WPA’s global network of Collaborating Centres, advancing mental health research, education, and advocacy across nine countries. Read more here.
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Updates from WPA Member Societies
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The Indonesian Psychiatric Association was honored to welcome Professor Danuta Wasserman, President of the World Psychiatric Association, during her visit to Indonesia in December 2024. Alongside the 10th World Congress of Asian Psychiatry in Bali, she visited key mental health institutions and universities, strengthening international collaboration and highlighting advancements in psychiatric care, research, and suicide prevention. Read more here.
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The deadline for the Prof. Ruiz Awards is fast approaching. Read more about the guidelines and how to apply from the World Association on Dual Disorders here.
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Updates from WPA Standing Committee on Ethics and Review
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The WPA Standing Committee on Ethics and Review has published Transforming Mental Health Care: Insights from the WPA Consultation on Implementing Alternatives to Coercion, highlighting global efforts to reduce coercive practices in mental health services. Prof. John Allan explains how consultations with psychiatrists, people with lived experience, and family carers from 20 countries shaped the report’s focus on urgent human rights concerns and practical, rights-based alternatives. Read more here.
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Presidential Action – Fellowship Award strengthens communication across diverse cultural contexts
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The 2025 WPA Presidential Action Fellowship continues to empower early-career psychiatrists with a passion for global mental health and knowledge sharing. Fellows awarded in 2024 translated a selected part from the WPA newsletters into their local languages, a powerful step that broadened access, increased global reach, and strengthened communication across diverse cultural contexts. These translated newsletters have been disseminated through National Psychiatric Associations, amplifying impact at the grassroots level and fostering inclusivity. Selected fellows receive waived congress registration, a stipend for accommodation, and travel reimbursement, supporting their active participation in the upcoming World Congress of Psychiatry 2025. The new round of applications is now open, inviting candidates who demonstrate excellence and commitment to advancing WPA’s mission in their regions through education, translation, and leadership.
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Upcoming Thematic, Regional, and Co-Sponsored Congresses
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The Canadian Psychiatric Association, extends an invite to its 75th Annual Conference, scheduled for October 22–25, 2025, at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia. Read more here.
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Take advantage of a wealth of opportunities to learn from the latest research data, the best experts in all fields of mental health, high-quality scientific content, and relevant peer-to-peer networking at the WPA World, Thematic, Regional and Co-Sponsored Congresses. Learn more here.
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Reminders from the Secretariat's Office
Dear WPA Components,
We would also like to ask the Member Societies to ensure we have their latest contact information. Please email us here if there any changes to your details.
Thank you for your continued support and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Your Secretariat Team
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