The psychedelic conversation has exploded into the global limelight over the past two decades, but who gets to shape this emergent narrative? The inaugural ‘Global Psychedelic Week’ has assembled experts from 100 + countries to collectively design the next chapter of psychedelic mainstreaming together.
After clinging to the fringes of society throughout the course of a 55 year ‘War On Drugs’ designed to unfairly demonize and consolidate a host of ancient, profound molecules and experiences into a scheduling system criminalizing the many different people who use them, psychedelics have finally arrived on the global stage in a truly decentralized and uncontainable fashion.
Today, academic research and multinational corporate investment into the potential of compounds such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT and many more have legitimized these molecules in a previously unimaginable way at scale. Yet despite some of the most brilliant minds in global society attempting to carve out a well-appointed place in society for these molecules and experiences, the path forward is still largely undefined. With last year’s FDA rejection of the first ever New Drug Application for a psychedelic drug, a new largely unwritten chapter has opened in the long and colorful history of psychedelics.
Psilocybe cubensis /Photo by John W. Allen
Global Psychedelic Week is a new major online and in-person global conference that seeks to truly globalize and decentralize psychedelic science and culture.
“Global Psychedelic Week is more than a conference, it’s a call to expand the conversation. By bringing together voices from over 100 countries, we’re creating space for diverse cultural perspectives, lived experiences, and community-led wisdom that have been sidelined in mainstream narratives. This is a movement toward decentralization, inclusion, and global connection, a reminder that psychedelics are not just Western wellness tools, but sacred technologies of healing, remembrance, and resistance that belong to all of us” says Milica Radovic Mandic, Founder at Bizdelics & Co-Host of Global Psychedelic Week.
“GPW” will feature dedicated tracks covering specific topics related to the global mainstreaming of psychedelics throughout its 7-day initial run. Each day will feature a dedicated advisory partner organization who helps to curate and oversee the programming track being hosted. In addition to the main online programming track of the conference, dozens of independently organized Global Psychedelic Week satellite events will take place across the world in cities like San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto, Amsterdam, and even Chisinau, Moldova.
Photo of Ayahuasca by martinak/123rf.com
The event will kick off with Global Community Day, a day which celebrates the power of psychedelic communities worldwide, exploring their diverse structures, challenges, and contributions to the evolving landscape. This day highlights grassroots education initiatives, peer support networks, and harm reduction efforts that foster safe and informed psychedelic experiences. Through global perspectives, we examine how community-led movements shape policy, build sustainable support systems, and bridge the gap between underground and mainstream psychedelic spaces. Global Psychedelic Society is the advisory partner for the first day of GPW.
Next up is Psychedelic Business Day in partnership with powerhouse independent data-driven reporting platform Psychedelic Alpha. This track brings together industry leaders, investors, and professionals shaping the future of the psychedelic economy. This day explores innovation in biotech, retreats, and mental health services, alongside discussions on funding strategies, ethical investment, and workforce development. With a focus on growth, regulation, and global expansion, we examine how the psychedelic business landscape is evolving into a sustainable and impactful industry.
Amanita Muscaria
Legacy Day is presented with the support of the inimitable Oakland Hyphae organization, pioneers of psilocybin potency testing. Legacy Day ventures into the hidden world of the underground psychedelic economy, exploring the risks, ethics, and evolving landscape of unregulated access. Through discussions on DIY chemistry, new psychoactive substances, and the realities of underground vendors and healers, we uncover the innovation and dangers shaping this space. As decriminalization efforts and commercialization grow, we examine the shifting future of underground psychedelics and their place in a rapidly changing world.
Veterans Day honors those who have served by exploring the transformative potential of psychedelics in healing military and service-related trauma. Through cutting-edge research, clinical trials, and firsthand testimonies, we examine how substances like MDMA, psilocybin, and ibogaine are offering hope where traditional PTSD treatments fall short. This day is dedicated to understanding the science, comparing treatment approaches, and amplifying the voices of veterans and first responders who have found healing through psychedelic-assisted therapy. Veteran’s Day is presented in collaboration with Heroic Hearts Project.
Ibogaine-containing shredded bark of T. iboga for consumption/ Image Credit: Kgjerstad, CC BY-SA 3.via Wikimedia Commons
Diversity & Inclusivity Day amplifies the voices of historically marginalized communities in the psychedelic space, addressing access, representation, and cultural integrity. From Indigenous perspectives on plant medicine and the impact of globalization to the experiences of racial and LGBTQ+ minorities, we explore how psychedelics intersect with identity, healing, and advocacy. This day also sheds light on the role of psychedelics in war zones and conflict areas, examining their potential for trauma recovery beyond borders. Seminal public education and indigenous justice organization Chacruna will be the advisory partner for this day.
Women in Psychedelics Day in partnership with Women On Psychedelics shines a light on the vital yet often overlooked role of women in the psychedelic space, from research and leadership to community-building and personal healing. This day explores the unique ways psychedelics intersect with women’s health, parenting, and mental well-being while addressing gender disparities and advocating for more inclusive opportunities. Through storytelling, research, and discussions on safe spaces, we celebrate the contributions of women and envision a more equitable future in psychedelics.
Closing out the first GPW will be Psychedelics & Humanity Day, featuring a track which explores the profound ways psychedelics shape culture, society, and our collective future. From shifting public perceptions and artistic influence to imagining a world where psychedelics are fully legalized, this day examines their potential to transform modern life. We also investigate how psychedelics might contribute to solving global challenges like climate change, inspiring deeper ecological awareness and systemic change. Leading psychedelic media and education platform Psychedelics Today will assist in presenting this final day of the conference.
Expert presenters and community partners for the inaugural Global Psychedelic Week hail from countries such as Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Argentina, Lithuania, South Africa, and more places which are often underrepresented or flat out excluded from psychedelic industry conferences due to travel costs, time constraints, and prevailing societal stigmas that limit an individual or community’s ability to speak publicly about their work.
Some of the confirmed presenters include CEO Aaron Nosbisch of the breakout cannabis and mushroom-infused social tonic brand BRĒZ from the USA, Indigenous healing and Sacred Reconnection guide Ari Huitzilopochtli of Mexico, Founder and CEO of Primal Health Solutions Tanyaradzwa Dendera of Zimbabwe, renowned citizen ethnomycologist Cullen Clark of South Africa, clinical pharmacologist and entrepreneur Stephanie Karzon Abrams of Beyond Consulting the USA, Entrepreneur and public educator Vladislav Andreev of Russia and Lithuania, No Limits Collective 360 Founder Gabriel Valarezo of Ecuador and Spain, and category leading functional mushroom brand Mycroboost CEO Robert Johnson of the multiverse to name but a few of the first wave of announced speakers.
“The quote ‘Psychedelic Renaissance’ has presented us with many rich opportunities to research and openly discuss these long-stigmatized compounds and the historical traditions around them, but it has also exhibited numerous limitations and presented formidable challenges in regard to where we go next from here in a rapidly evolving multi-polar global society.
People talk about ‘set and setting’ as a vital element of a psychedelic experience, but who is responsible for curating the ‘set and setting’ for how psychedelic mainstreaming is unfolding? This should be a global conversation with numerous and diverse stakeholders providing input, not a siloed off and exclusive echo chamber where only the well-connected and highly capitalized have a say” shares Dennis Walker, co-host of Global Psychedelic Week and founder of Mycopreneur.
In addition to over a hundred globally recognized presenters and panels exhibiting the cutting edge of psychedelic science, culture, and commerce, attendees can expect to benefit from an unparalleled private networking forum in the form of a global discord server, professional mentorship opportunities, and membership in an international professional community rather than being limited to the role of passive audience member.
Early Bird Tickets for the inaugural Global Psychedelic Week are on sale for a limited time now before full pricing kicks in, and can be found here. For more information on Global Psychedelic Week and to see the full roster of participants, programming tracks, and event details, visit https://www.globalpsychedelicweek.com/
Dennis Walker is a global mushroom industry consultant and avid traveler. He is the founder of Mycopreneur, a platform dedicated to advancing the mushroom entrepreneurial ecosystem. His work has been featured in Rolling Stone. Forbes, Wired, Vice, High Times, and many other outlets. He is also the founder of Mycoday mushroom chocolate, an adaptogenic mushroom chocolate brand.
