top of page

WPA Congresses

WPA World Congress of Psychiatry

Established in Paris in 1950, the WPA World Congress of Psychiatry (WCP) is the association's flagship event.  Taking place annually, with the general assembly and associated elections being held every triennium, the congress rotates between three parts of the world - Asia/Oceania, the Americas, and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

​

WPA partners with its member societies to host the event, taking into account security, safety, resources, accessibility, facilities, and finances when selecting the host city and country.  

WCP 2023_Social_820x461 (1) cropped.jpg

Our next World Congress

23rd WPA World Congress of Psychiatry

28 September - 1 October 2023

Theme: Psychiatry: current knowledge and perspectives for action.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Website: https://wcp-congress.com/

​

In partnership with WPA member society: 

Austrian Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy

and Psychosomatics

​

Live Reporting on X (formerly known as Twitter) using the hashtag: #WCP23

Prof. Afzal Javed (President, WPA) and Prof. Johannes Wancata (Local Host) talk about the importance of this year's congress and why people should attend.

Previous Events 

22nd World Congress of Psychiatry

3-6 August 2022 || Bangkok, Thailand

Theme: Psychiatry 2022: The Need for Empathy and Action

​

21st World Congress of Psychiatry

18-21 October 2021 || Virtual

Theme: New World, New Challenges for Psychiatry & Mental Health

​

20th World Congress of Psychiatry

10-13 March 2021 || Virtual

Theme: Psychiatry in a Troubled World 

​

19th World Congress of Psychiatry

21-24 August 2019 || Lisbon, Portugal

Theme: Psychiatry and Mental Health - Global Inspirations, Locally Relevant Action

​

18th World Congress of Psychiatry

27-30 September || Mexico City, Mexico

Theme: Psychiatry - Standing Firm for Mental Health

Regional Congresses

Regional Congresses provide an opportunity for those parts of the world not hosting that year's World Congress to host a meeting in their region.  Accordingly, no more than two regional congresses take place in any one year.  Typically, regional congresses focus on issues most relevant to the host region, sometimes also drilling down to areas of interest specific to the host country.

Our Upcoming Regional Congresses

WPA Regional Congress

Theme: Innovations in the Practice of Psychiatry in XXI Century

Yerevan, Armenia

8-10 June 2023

Contact: Professor Armen Soghoyan, President, Armenian Psychiatric Association

Website: https://wpayerevan2023.org/home/

Congress programme: View the Congress programme here or download it here.

​

You can also watch an interview with Prof. Afzal Javed (President, WPA) who speaks about the upcoming Regional Congress on Armenian TV programme - First Channel News here (interview in Armenian).

​

In partnership with WPA member society: Armenian Psychiatric Association (in collaboration with the Armenian Medical Association & National Institute of Health)

Armenia June Congress.jpg

Previous Events 

​

WPA Regional Congress

14-16 April 2023 || Kolkata, India

Theme: Building Awareness – Bridging Treatment Gap

​

WPA Regional Congress

8-10 December 2022 || Hammamet, Tunisia

Theme: African Psychiatry in the 21st Century, Achievements and Future Perspectives 

​

WPA Regional Congress

7-9 July 2021 || Kyiv, Ukraine

Theme: Psychopathology in Periods of Transition 

​

WPA Regional Congress

16-18 May 2021 || Virtual (Formerly St. Petersburg, Russia)

Theme: Interdisciplinary Understanding of Co-morbidity in Psychiatry: from Science to Integrated Care 

Thematic Congresses

Thematic Congresses are focused on one or more topics of interest. Their purpose is to address special subjects that WPA wishes to pursue - such as a topical issue or coverage of a specific region. They take place in parts of the world with a timing and format that does not compete with any of the other organised WPA activities. Thematic Congresses may be organised one or more times a year worldwide. 

Our Upcoming Thematic Congresses

There are currently no WPA Thematic Congresses planned for 2022. Please check back here for future updates.

Previous Events

 

WPA Thematic Congress

Theme: Innovations in Treatment & Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Abu Dhabi, UAE

5-7 May 2023

​

Organised by the World Psychiatric Association Scientific Section Psychiatric Rehabilitation

​

WPA Thematic Congress

Theme: Mental Health in New Era

Karachi, Pakistan

3-5 March 2023

​

In partnership with Pakistan Psychiatric Research Centre, Fountain House, Lahore (PPRC)

​

WPA Thematic Congress

Theme: Treatment and Management of Mental Disorders in a Post-Pandemic Era

Tbilisi, Georgia

14-16 October 2022

​

In partnership with the Society of Georgian Psychiatrists (WPA member society)

​

WPA Thematic Congress

Theme: New Horizons in Psychiatric Practice: Creative Ideas and Innovative Interventions

St. Julian, Malta

10-12 November 2022

​

Organised by the World Psychiatric Association Scientific Sections with PCO Erasmus.

​

WPA Thematic Congress

Theme: Early Intervention in Psychiatry across the Life Span

Athens, Greece

23-25 June 2022

​

Organised by WPA Action Plan Group on Early Interventions in Psychiatry with PCO Erasmus

​

WPA Thematic Congress

Theme: Public Mental Health

Lahore, Pakistan

11-13 March 2022

​

In partnership with Pakistan Psychiatric Research Centre, Fountain House, Lahore (PPRC)

​

WPA Thematic Congress

Theme: Understanding psychiatry today: Economic reactivation, social inequalities and mental health

Cartagena, Colombia

23-25 February 2022

 

In partnership with WPA member society: Colombian Psychiatric Association

​

WPA Thematic Congress

Theme: Intersectional Collaboration - Psychological Trauma: Global burden on mental and physical health

Virtual

11 -13 December 2020

​

In partnership with WPA member society:

The Hellenic Psychiatric Association

​

WPA Thematic Congress

Theme: Dementia: Psychiatric and Neurological Challenges and Perspectives

Ohrid, Republic of North Macedonia 

15-18 May 2019

​

In partnership with WPA Member Society:

Macedonian Psychiatric Association

bottom of page