On October 8th and 9th, WFAD partook in the fifth Istanbul Initiative Summit, hosted by the Turkish Green Crescent. The initiative originally emerged as a global action where divergent international civil society actors gather and determine global strategies to contribute to public health and prevent addictions. A total of 22 in person participants and 23 virtual participants from 24 countries partook in the initiative. During the Summit, various burning issues were discussed, varying from the emergence of synthetic drugs, promoting recovery and reducing stigma, gender empowerment, substance policies, environmental impacts, strengthening prevention, etc. The participants reflected upon the realities in their countries and discussed needs, gaps, and opportunities for collaboration. On the final day, we were graced with the visit and concluding words by the Turkish Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir.