Dear members, colleagues and friends of the World Association for Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy,

We’re excited to bring you a quick update on our recent happenings on 18-23^rd March 2024 in Istanbul: the Second WAPP Strategic Meeting and the WAPP International Conference on Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy “Building Bridges for Mental Health”, highlighting the strength of unity and collaboration within our community.

It was heartwarming to see nearly 300 colleagues come together from 25 most different countries to create an inclusive and welcoming environment. The energy and commitment displayed by everyone were truly inspiring, making the event an unforgettable experience. We’re grateful for the synergy and mutual respect witnessed among attendees. The message was very clear: People all over the world, especially children and youth, need mental health – and we have with Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy a very effective tool in our hands. As it has been said: “We cannot change the world – but we can change the world of someone.”

On the scientific front, we had the privilege of hosting a diverse array of presentations, totaling 101 across plenaries and workshops. Special mention goes to Professor Cesar Alfonso and Professor Dilip Jeste for their captivating keynote lectures and workshops, which expanded our horizons and sparked further exploration in our fields. Very impressive was the number of new publications and translations during the past few years – and many other book projects are on their way. Another highlight was the presentation of the members of the Committees and the Working groups, and everyone of you is encouraged to serve with others on these Special Interest Groups.

Stay tuned as we’ll soon be sharing the slides on our online library, accessible through our website: https://www.positum.org/ppt-publications/2024-wapp-international-conference-presentations/

As we look back on the success of the conference, the feedback of the conference participants is incredibly valuable to us. Please share it if you have any comments. Thank you once again for your participation and contributions, making the WAPP conference an impactful and memorable event. As some participants said: It was like a large family reunion of a professional family.

Soon the Executive Board will consult about future conferences and events and share them with you. If you could not participate at the Istanbul conference, we really hope that you will be able next year.

Warm regards,

WAPP Head Office