About the Conference

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 epidodic 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 GAPC2023.

Latest News

Global Alcohol Policy Conference Declaration 

COLLECTIVE ACTION NEEDED TO REDUCE ALCOHOL HARM IN SOUTH AFRICA

IT’S ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR THE 7th BIENNIAL GLOBAL ALCOHOL POLICY CONFERENCE

THE 7TH BIENNIAL GLOBAL ALCOHOL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN CAPE TOWN

7th Global Alcohol Policy Conference in South Africa Calls for Global Alcohol Policy Reforms

The conference theme is: Investing in people before profits: building momentum towards the Framework Convention on Alcohol Control.

Previous GAPC Conferences were held in:

  • Dublin, Ireland (2020)
  • Melbourne, Australia (2017)
  • Edinburgh, Scotland (2015)
  • Seoul, South Korea (2013)
  • Bangkok, Thailand (2012)
  • Syracause, USA (2000)

Civil society organisations, academic institutions, funding agencies and others free from any ties to the alcohol industry are invited to contact the organisers to explore co-sponsorship opportunities for the conference.

Deadline Dates

Abstracts

  • Submissions
    22 September 2022 - 1 May 2023
  • Review of abstracts
    2 May - 19 May 2023
  • Notifications of abstracts
    20 July 2023
  • Late breaker
    1 May - 30 June 2023

Registrations

  • Early registration
    20 January - 20 August 2023
  • Late registration  
    20 August - 16 October 2023

Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA)

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) is a network of not-for-profit organisations and people working in public health agencies who share information on alcohol issues and advocate evidence-based alcohol policies, free from commercial interests. The GAPA mission is to “reduce alcohol-related harm worldwide by promoting science-based policies independent of commercial interests”.

GAPA was established following a Conference held in Syracuse, New York in 2000. GAPA was created because of the identified need to match the measures being undertaken by the global alcohol industry to “increase sales and circumvent health promotion policies”.

Co-hosted by

the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA), the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC),  the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) and the Department of Social Development


  

Co-sponsor

Keeping with tradition, as hosts for the 7th Global Alcohol Policy Conference (GAPC) in 2023, South Africa (represented by Prof Charles Parry (SAMRC), Dr Petal Petersen Williams (SAMRC) and Maurice Smithers (SAAPA)) received the official GAPC flag from the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance Chairperson, Prof Sally Casswell (far left) and the 2020 hosts.