The theme is "Art & Human Welfare: Creative Action in Medicine, Sociopolitics, and Environment." Registration opens soon! The 15th Annual Human Welfare Conference will take place on Monday, May 15th, 2023 at Green Templeton College. This year's theme is “Psychedelics: Revolution and Renaissance in Human Welfare.”
Able to radically alter consciousness, humans have used entheogenic or “psychedelic” substances for thousands of years. From traditional use among numerous indigenous communities and ancient civilizations to the recreational use that helped spark the counterculture movement of the 1960s, psychedelics continue to shape humanity in unique and unexpected ways. Despite the ways in which the ”war on drugs” limited opportunities to better understand these substances, recent changes in legislation have opened the floodgates to waves of research, media attention, and public interest—leaving even the uninitiated unable to deny that we are in the midst of a new psychedelic era. With clinical trials demonstrating dramatic quality of life improvements in those living with treatment resistant or terminal illness—often in as little as one to three sessions—multiple psychedelic substances have been granted “breakthrough therapy” status in the past few years alone. The past two decades have seen the rise of “spiritual tourism” as more and more Westerners travel the world seeking transformation from both traditional and modern healers employing the use of psychedelic substances. While many are inspired by the spiritual, mystical, and ontological implications of the psychedelic experience, others find value in their recreational use. Even those who have never had a psychedelic experience are taking an interest, creating businesses or leading studies centered around psychedelics. Although the enthusiasm surrounding psychedelics shows no sign of slowing down, what is less clear is the impact this interest holds for humanity and the world as a whole. Despite the well-documented transformative power of psychedelics, where many see promise, others see problems. With stakeholders ranging from indigenous communities, spiritual leaders, anthropologists, and philosophers to medical professionals, policy makers, entrepreneurs, and Big Pharma, the consequences are significant and complex. Join us at GTC’s 2023 Human Welfare Conference “Psychedelics: Revolution and Renaissance in Human Welfare” as we host a range of speakers from diverse backgrounds to explore some of these issues. Whether you are a seasoned psychonaut or have zero interest in psychedelics, anyone concerned with human welfare will benefit from understanding key conversations unfolding in this domain. No matter where you stand regarding the use of psychedelics, the global impact of the current revolution affects all of us. Further information on ticket release dates will be made available shortly. Whether you are a student, professional, researcher, or just curious to learn more about the revolution, all are welcome to join us! If any accessibility requirements are needed or should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to message us here or contact our chat: austen.fisher@gtc.ox.ac.uk
We are very excited to see you all there! About the annual conference:
The Human Welfare Conference was launched and first organized in May 2008 to commemorate the merger of Green and Templeton Colleges under the new college mission of human welfare. The conference has since benefited from the combined strength of the two colleges' disciplinary approaches. Historically, Green College was dedicated to the mission of beneficence to humanity through strong interdisciplinary research in diverse fields such as medicine, public health, education, environmental science, social policy, social work, and other social, behavioral, and life sciences. Templeton College’s specializations in business and management offer insight into how organizations and the private sector can build humanitarianism into their broader goals. The combination of Green and Templeton College has led to an environment positioned to build opportunities, networks, and platforms for greater interdisciplinary innovation in human welfare.
