Set, Setting, and Solidarity: Inside The Launch of Global Psychedelic Week

The psychedelic renaissance is in full bloom, reshaping not only scientific and medical communities but also mainstream culture. After decades of prohibition and stigma, substances like psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and ayahuasca are being reexamined through rigorous clinical research, showing promise in treating depression, PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety. From Johns Hopkins to MAPS, leading institutions are backing studies that support what Indigenous cultures have known for centuries: psychedelics can be powerful tools for healing, insight, and transformation. This modern resurgence is rooted in both science and spirituality, merging ancient wisdom with contemporary therapeutic frameworks.

To mark this pivotal moment, the inaugural Global Psychedelic Week (GPW) is launching November 3–9, 2025 –  a bold, distributed conference that seeks to unite over 5,000 people across more than 100 countries. Rather than convening in a single location, GPW will blend a robust online program with locally hosted in-person gatherings in nearly 60 cities around the world. The event presents more than 100 speakers from the front lines of psychedelic research, therapy, advocacy, and cultural stewardship, including names like Rick Doblin, Robin Carhart‑Harris, and Dr. Pamela Kryskow. 

GPW places a special focus on inclusion and global equity. Indigenous knowledge keepers, grassroots organizers, local therapists, and policy reformers will share the stage with academics and clinicians, ensuring that voices from historically marginalized regions are centered in the conversation. As co-founder Milica Radovic Mandic explains, “we’re decentralizing the conversation and meeting people where they are, in their own communities,” so the movement isn’t just shaped from a few power centers. Fellow co‑founder, Dennis Walker, raises a critical question: as psychedelics gain mainstream acceptance, who is curating the “set and setting” of that acceptance? He argues the answer should reflect a multiplicity of stakeholders, not just the well‑resourced and connected.

This moment feels reminiscent of earlier countercultural waves, but with a twist: this time the movement is structured, interconnected, and oriented toward impact. Global Psychedelic Week underscores that the renaissance is not just a Western curiosity or academic fad, but a worldwide awakening with local roots and global ambitions. As the psychedelic community enters this next phase, the emphasis on equity, pluralism, and responsibility will be as critical as the breakthroughs in science and therapy. 

For High Times readers, GPW offers a unique opportunity to plug into the global psychedelic ecosystem, whether by attending local gatherings, tuning into virtual panels, or stepping up as community hosts. The week’s programming will cover everything from cutting-edge neuroscience to the ethics of commercialization, harm reduction strategies, plant medicine traditions, policy reform, and integration practices. With early bird discounts already available, organizers encourage those curious about the future of consciousness to join. Learn more or register at globalpsychedelicweek.com

Photo courtesy of GPW

<p>The post Set, Setting, and Solidarity: Inside The Launch of Global Psychedelic Week first appeared on High Times.</p>