World Assembly for Community Action on Alcohol (WACAA) Inaugural Meeting

Building SAFER Communities Together. Overcoming Alcohol Industry Interference

The Inaugural WACAA Meeting takes places on

Date

January 27, 2022

Time

9.00-12.00 Central European Time

Place

Zoom

Registration

Click here to register for the Inaugural WACAA.

Theme

Building SAFER Communities Together. Overcoming Alcohol Industry Interference

Description

The inaugural meeting is dedicated to establish links among worldwide community activists and facilitate ownership of the WACAA space.

That’s why we will explore in inter-active sessions a) what communities are doing and how they are contributing to building for SAFER communities; we will learn from community best practices in each S.A.F.E.R. area.

And b) how communities work to overcome alcohol industry interference; in this session the Irish Community Action on Alcohol Network will introduce a brand new and groundbreaking tool to counter-act alcohol industry interference on community level.

We will conclude by summarizing the discussions and learning and by developing a common agenda for upcoming meetings.

Program of Inaugural WACAA Meeting

Setting the scen: 

• Why are we here? Why does it matter? Overview and inspiration: Has community action made a difference? What’s global alcohol policy and what have communities made a difference in? 

 Get to know each other:

• Icebreaker
• Why are you involved in community action on alcohol, bring an object that represents this

BREAK – 5 minutes

Thematical conversation #1: Action for SAFER communities worldwide

• What are communities doing/ how are communities contributing to the SAFER technical areas?

BREAK – 5 minutes

Thematical conversation #2: Alcohol Industry and Corporate Social Responsibility

• What kind of alcohol industry activity do communities see in their contexts and how do communities respond
• Launch of the i-mark

BREAK – 5 minutes

Next steps:

• Community ownership and leadership of WACAA: What do you want from this space?
• Facilitated future topics finding

Wrap-up and summary of learnings:

• Visual story telling

What is the World Assembly for Community Action on Alcohol

The World Assembly for Community Action on Alcohol is a global shared space for people and groups engaged in community-based action to prevent and reduce alcohol harm.

The World Assembly for Community Action on Alcohol is a platform for discussion, networking, support, and empowerment. We come together to share best practices and success stories, to discuss common challenges, to network, and to empower community action on alcohol.

WACAA is an initiative by communities for communities to strengthen and amplify the voices of the grass-roots in local, national, and global alcohol prevention and control processes.

Why is WACAA needed?

Local communities are seismographs for alcohol harms in a society. Local people experience the harm caused by the products and practices of the alcohol industry first hand, and often before these harms receive wider attention from policy makers and academics.

WACAA is needed to facilitate discussion and promote solutions for how best to elevate the role of communities in shaping alcohol policy responses on all levels.

WACAA is needed to empower evidence-based community action on alcohol to build healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities for all people, and especially our children.

WACAA objectives

1. Increase grass-roots participation in alcohol policy discussion on all levels.
2. Contribute to community empowerment in alcohol policy advocacy.
3. Facilitate best practice exchange among community activists worldwide.
4. Establish and strengthen the valid role and unique expertise of community activists in alcohol policy development and implementation.
5. Ensure communities and grass-roots are part of the knowledge formation processes in the area of evidence-based alcohol policy development.

Who can participate?

WACAA is an open and shared space for all community activists and groups worldwide working to prevent and reduce alcohol harm.

This gathering is open to organisations working at the local level and/ or supporting community level action.

People, groups, and organisations that are funded or have any other ties to the alcohol industry front groups and public relations organizations have a conflict of interest and are not eligible to participate.    

Outline for WACAA in 2022

In 2022, WACAA could convene four times. 

The Inaugural Meeting takes place on January 27, 2022.

Two topical meetings would follow in the spring and autumn of 2022 respectively. And we would conclude the first year with a global gathering to summarize the year, and possibly adopt a manifesto for community action on alcohol.

The themes for these gatherings will be identified collectively at the first meeting and in a community-driven process in preparation of the subsequent meetings.