Looking back at the first ALPS conference
Committee and volunteers on the stage at the end of the ALPS Conference 2021
It seems like a different time, when hardly over a year ago, the first seeds of what would eventually turn into our first scientific conference were planted.
Inspired by Dr.Sewell’s seminal article addressing young students interested in psychedelics, some of us dared take the first few steps and founded the very first Swiss student organization dedicated to psychedelic science, PALA - Psychedelic Association of Lausanne for Awareness. Having checked off one of the items on Dr.Sewell’s list, we felt hungry for more. We wanted to do our part in harvesting that great potential we see in psychedelics, and so we started thinking bigger, beyond the confines of our own university.
We started realizing there were so many people interested in psychedelics, with backgrounds in all different kinds of disciplines. Not to mention that university research group spread all over Switzerland were actually working on psychedelics, yet no one was talking about it! As time passed on, it became clear that psychedelic sciences in Switzerland needed to start a larger (meta) conversation, reflecting upon itself, and worthy of the potential that lies here.
“ a scientific conference, inviting researchers from both Switzerland and abroad, would be the perfect platform to launch the conversation about psychedelics “
In one way or another, it came to us that a scientific conference, inviting researchers from both Switzerland and abroad, would be the perfect platform to launch the conversation about psychedelics. To get the word out there, to all the curious people waiting for someone to speak up: the time to start talking about psychedelic sciences was there!
And so, the idea of the first ALPS conference was born. Countless hours of work put down by dozens of people separate this first inkling, and the last day of the conference. That day when we could walk out of the last lecture with a content sigh, nodding to each other with a knowing smile, saying “we made it!” (of course, as a collective effort).
Finally, this day turned out to be the official founding date for the ALPS Foundation, providing us with the framework to keep working to bring the Swiss psychedelic community together, and even further!
Most importantly, the goals of ALPS Foundation are the following:
to provide access to quality, evidence-based information for both members of the public and professionals in the field of psychedelic and related substances;
to create a collaborative platform for professionals in the field;
to support various projects in this domain.
What more is there to say? Not much, except maybe, that we’re going to do it again! Stay tuned for more updates as ALPS Conference 2022 draws ever closer!
Can’t wait for the next conference?
Have a look at the aftermath bulletin, and see what last year’s attendees think.
Signed: Kristian Beichmann
