NordAN joins the Barcelona Forum on Drugs as collaborating partner

18.02.2026 - The Nordic Alcohol and Drug Policy Network has accepted an invitation to join the Barcelona Forum on Drugs as a collaborating partner. The forum will take place in Barcelona on January 28 to 29, 2027. It is the culmination of a three year international process that has been underway since 2024 under the name Global Forum on Drugs.

According to the organisers, drug use has increased by more than 28 percent worldwide over the past decade, based on UN data from 2025. The process coordinated by the Association Proyecto Hombre, together with Proyecto Hombre Catalunya and in collaboration with the la Caixa Foundation, aims to collect and share innovative approaches and practical recommendations on drug demand reduction. The University of Barcelona provides scientific oversight. The in person forum in 2027 will be held at the CosmoCaixa Science Museum.

One important milestone within this broader process has been the Oviedo Declaration, an international call to strengthen evidence based prevention in drug policies. NordAN is already part of this declaration process. The Barcelona Forum will bring together governments, civil society organisations, researchers, youth representatives, people with lived experience and other stakeholders. Ten thematic areas have been identified, including prevention among children and youth, treatment and reintegration, therapeutic justice, low threshold interventions, alcohol and other normalised substances, mental health, innovation, and global cooperation.

As part of NordAN’s engagement, Peter Moilanen and Lauri Beekmann will represent the network on the forum’s Advisory Committee. Through this role, NordAN will contribute Nordic and Baltic perspectives to the ongoing consultations during 2026 and to the development of the roadmap that is expected to emerge from the Barcelona meeting. More information about the process and upcoming activities can be found at www.globalforumondrugs.org