The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre will convene the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, “Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being,” on 17-19 December 2025.
In an era of instability, the Summit will ask: How can traditional medicine restore balance?
The inaugural WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in 2023 laid the groundwork, offering data, technologies and insights to elevate Traditional Medicine in the global health agenda. Building on this success, the 2025 Summit will delve deeper into the scientific innovations shaping the field, addressing critical issues such as biodiversity protection, intellectual property rights and the transformative potential of AI, and will include announcements of new pledges, products and innovations​.
The Summit invites global leaders, scientists, practitioners and communities to come together to share knowledge, build capacity and take action​ – leveraging digital technology to bring countries and partners together, both in person and online.
The 2025 Summit will advance the implementation of the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034, adopted by the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025. The Strategy focuses on four main objectives – strengthening the evidence base for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM); supporting safe and effective TCIM through appropriate regulatory mechanisms; integrating safe and effective TCIM into health systems; and optimizing the cross-sector value of TCIM and empowering communities. The goals build on the consensus statement of the 1st WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit in 2023, the Gujarat Declaration. The Summit will feature plenary and parallel sessions, high-level events, launches of new tools, and interactive experiences that focus on the application of science, technology, innovation and knowledge exchange to validate and unlock the contribution of Traditional Medicine and Indigenous knowledge to advance planetary health and people’s health and well-being across the life course.
The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine aims to advance a global movement to restore balance for people and the planet, grounded in the science and practice of Traditional Medicine. Guided by the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, the Summit will highlight the latest evidence and innovations, and address critical issues including health systems regulation and integration; respectful information exchange with Indigenous Peoples and across knowledge paradigms; biodiversity preservation and intellectual property rights; and the transformative potential of frontier technologies. New products, collaborations and initiatives will be presented, alongside concrete pledges and commitments.
Registrations for online participation will take place through the Summit 2025 website. For more information: [email protected].
The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) is powered by a mission to enhance the holistic health and well-being of people and planet through evidence-based, equitable and sustainable Traditional Medicine. Join us to receive updates and news from GTMC.
