The International Federation of Green Crescent (IFGC) has taken significant steps throughout 2026 to strengthen international cooperation, institutional capacity, and global advocacy through its active Working Groups. The Scientific Working Group, the Fundraising and Project Management Working Group, and the Advocacy and International Collaboration Working Group have collectively contributed to expanding IFGC’s engagement and visibility at the international level. Established on 12 June 2025, the IFGC Scientific Working Group has advanced international research cooperation through a series of structured meetings. To date, the Group has convened eight meetings, bringing together representatives from Green Crescents in Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, and Nigeria. During this process, all participating countries independently developed and submitted research proposals reflecting their national priorities in addiction prevention and treatment, marking the first fully self-led international funding application undertaken by Green Crescents. The eighth meeting of the Scientific Working Group, held on 23 January 2026, focused on refining the Group’s draft roadmap. Discussions highlighted the potential cultural adaptation of the Turkish Addiction Prevention Programme (TBM) as well as opportunities for strengthened international cooperation. The meeting also explored the Working Group’s potential role in supporting IFGC’s collaboration with international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), particularly in the development of evidence-based project concepts and the identification of regional and thematic priorities. The IFGC Fundraising and Project Management Working Group has served as a collaborative platform to enhance the fundraising and project management capacities of Country Green Crescents, guided by principles of transparency, inclusiveness, and collective accountability. Throughout 2025, the Group held four online meetings addressing shared challenges in grant access, proposal development, compliance, reporting, and project implementation. The election of Dr. Mousa Daoud, President of the Jordan Green Crescent, as Chair further strengthened coordination and collective learning among member organizations. Launched in December 2025, the IFGC Advocacy and International Collaboration Working Group has focused on reinforcing IFGC’s engagement within United Nations platforms, particularly the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Through a series of online meetings, members coordinated advocacy efforts related to written and oral statements, side event planning, sponsorship mechanisms, and thematic priorities aligned with public health–oriented drug policies. Discussions also emphasized broader advocacy opportunities beyond the CND and highlighted the importance of coordination with other IFGC Working Groups to ensure coherent, credible, and sustained international advocacy.  

The webinar titled University Youth Clubs Establishment Steps and Volunteer Management Insights was held online on 16 December 2025 under the coordination of the Volunteer Management Department of the Turkish Green Crescent Society and the International Federation of Green Crescent, bringing together representatives from Country Green Crescents. Organized within the scope of World Volunteers Day, the session provided an overview of the key steps in establishing youth clubs at universities, including legal procedures, team formation, and the organizational structure of Green Crescent Youth Clubs in Türkiye, along with their integration with Country Green Crescents at the international level. The session focused on the role of youth clubs within the university ecosystem, strengthening youth participation, and ensuring the sustainability of youth-led initiatives, and was delivered by Volunteer Management Specialist Elif Merve Koç. Moderated by Antonella Alexandre, President of the Uruguay Green Crescent, the webinar concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, allowing participants to share experiences from their countries and exchange perspectives on common challenges and solution-oriented approaches in youth and volunteer management.

The International Federation of Green Crescent (IFGC), in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), successfully held the 3rd IFGC–WHO Meeting on Addictive Behaviours: Public Health Aspects and Diagnostic Procedures for Disorders Due to Addictive Behaviours from 10 to 12 December 2025 at Sepetçiler Pavilion in Istanbul. The meeting brought together leading global experts to address the public health implications of behavioural addictions, with a particular focus on gaming and gambling disorders. Throughout the discussions, participants emphasised that while not everyone who engages in gaming or gambling experiences harm, a significant proportion of individuals face psychological distress, functional impairment, and disruption to family and social life. With the growing global recognition of gaming disorder and gambling disorder, experts underlined the urgent need for effective prevention strategies, early identification mechanisms, and accessible treatment services. Since both disorders were formally included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) in 2019, governments and health systems have been called upon to respond using evidence-based and standardised tools. In this context, the meeting focused on strengthening public health responses by improving diagnostic procedures and promoting evidence-based assessment instruments. Early identification and accurate diagnosis were highlighted as central components of a comprehensive public health approach. Particular attention was given to the WHO collaborative project on international screening and diagnostic tools, which was first launched in Istanbul in 2017. A key outcome of this ongoing work, the draft Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Disorders Due to Addictive Behaviours (DISDAB), formed a central focus of the 2025 meeting. The meeting hosted 55 experts from 22 countries, including WHO Türkiye Representative Dr. Tasnim Atatrah, WHO Headquarters specialists Anja Busse and Dzmitry Krupchanka, internationally recognised academics and clinicians, seven Country Green Crescent representatives, and five members of the Turkish Green Crescent Scientific Committee. Three Days of In-Depth Discussion Day One – Global Context and Recent Developments (10 December 2025)The meeting opened with remarks by IFGC President Prof. Dr. Mehmet Dinç and WHO Türkiye Representative Dr. Tasnim Atatrah, followed by invited speakers. Sessions introduced the mission of IFGC and outlined the objectives of the meeting. Discussions addressed epidemiology, public health protection frameworks, and treatment interventions, alongside recent global developments such as regulatory innovations, monitoring systems, and industry practices. The day concluded with a panel discussion on key barriers and priorities for action. Day Two – Diagnostic Procedures and DISDAB Validation (11 December 2025)The second day focused on diagnostic frameworks and assessment tools. Experts presented the ICD-11 diagnostic criteria, existing screening instruments, and updates from WHO’s collaborative project. A comprehensive presentation of the DISDAB tool was followed by in-depth discussions on psychometric evaluation, sampling strategies, and ethical considerations. In the afternoon, representatives from more than fifteen countries shared updates on planned implementation sites for the upcoming multi-centre international validation study. The day concluded with an official dinner at the IFGC Headquarters. Day Three – Challenges, Roadmap, and Future Cooperation (12 December 2025)The final day addressed anticipated challenges and risks related to the validation study. Participants worked collaboratively to define the roles of partner institutions and to develop a coordinated international roadmap for implementation. Further discussions explored broader needs in prevention, treatment, monitoring, and research. The meeting concluded with closing statements from WHO and IFGC. A Strong Tradition of Cooperation The collaboration between IFGC and WHO has a well-established history. A landmark meeting held in Istanbul in 2017 contributed to the inclusion of gaming and gambling disorders in ICD-11, followed by a focused workshop on gambling disorder in 2019. Building on this momentum, the 2025 meeting further strengthened global cooperation and marked an important step toward advancing international diagnostic standards and public health responses to behavioural addictions.