The World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025, held in Dublin, Ireland from 23–25 June, brought together 1,300 delegates from around the globe for three days of collaboration, inspiration and action. Organised by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the World Health Organization (WHO), the conference featured 87 sessions and a robust programme of 631 e-posters. A total of 656 presenters contributed to an engaging exchange of research, policy and practice aimed at advancing global tobacco control efforts.
Key speakers
The World Conference on Tobacco Control (WCTC) 2025 was honoured to welcome a distinguished line-up of keynote speakers, reflecting the global and national significance of the event. Key figures included Dr Cassandra Kelly-Cirino, Executive Director of The Union, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Taoiseach of Ireland Micheál Martin, TD, Irish Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD, Prof Guy Marks, President of The Union.
High-profile quotes from Prof Guy Marks and Dr Cassandra Kelly-Cirino were featured in several major national publications, including The Guardian, Indian Express, and The Independent.
The World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025 - Dublin Declaration
At the closing session of the conference, Gan Quan, WCTC Advisory Board Chair and Senior Vice President at Vital Strategies, presented the Dublin Declaration, a powerful call to action on behalf of the delegates reaffirming the urgency of global tobacco control efforts. Key priorities include increasing excise taxes, rejecting tobacco industry interference, enforcing comprehensive bans on advertising, addressing environmental harms, and upholding the fundamental human right to health through coordinated global action.
Celebrating tobacco control champions
During the closing session, several prestigious awards were presented to tobacco control leaders at various stages in their careers. Firstly, the winners of the Luther L. Terry Awards (Distinguished Career and Young Pioneer categories) were announced. These awards acknowledge those making significant contributions to the field of tobacco control, and in 2025 were awarded to:
- Rob Cunningham, lawyer and Senior Policy Analyst, Canadian Cancer Society – Distinguished Career
- Lisa Lu, CEO of International Youth Tobacco Control – Young Pioneer Awardee (joint)
- Leslie Rae Ferat, Executive Director of Global Alliance for Tobacco Control – Young Pioneer Awardee (joint)
Two driving forces behind WCTC and global tobacco control advancements, Dr Fenton Howell and Dr Harry Lando, were later named as honorary chairs of the conference.
Delegates
The conference welcomed approximately 1,300 delegates from across the globe, showcasing the event’s international scope and cross-sector appeal. Delegates travelled from over 88 countries, with the USA, Ireland, the UK and India among the most represented.
A huge thanks goes to the 36 volunteers who generously gave their time to ensure delegates had the best possible experience.
Wrap-up videos
Relive the energy and impact of the World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025 with our official wrap-up video, capturing key moments, insights, and voices from across the three days in Dublin.
Daily highlight videos from each day of the conference are also available to watch.