ICC Belfast to host 29th Harm Reduction International Conference

ICC Belfast is set to welcome over 1,000 international harm reduction delegates in 2027

Taking place across four days, the conference is expected to deliver thousands of hotel bed nights for the city while positioning Belfast on a global stage as an emerging centre for public health innovation, research, and progressive policy discussion.

Hosted in partnership with Harm Reduction International and Extern, the event will bring together world-leading academics, healthcare professionals, policymakers, charities, advocates, and researchers to explore evidence-based approaches aimed at reducing the health, social, and legal harms associated with drug use and drug policy.

The announcement marks another major international conference win for Belfast, reinforcing the city’s growing reputation as a destination capable of hosting large-scale global events with lasting economic and social impact.

The Harm Reduction International Conference has previously been held in Melbourne, Australia in 2023 and Bogotá, Colombia in 2025.

Alongside the immediate economic benefits for hotels, restaurants, transport providers, and local businesses, the conference is also expected to leave a longer-term legacy for Northern Ireland by supporting conversations around public health, harm reduction, homelessness, addiction services, and healthcare innovation.

Queen’s University Belfast and partners have recently secured €7 million in cross-border research funding focused on substance use and mental health, while the Northern Ireland Executive has launched its Substance Use Strategic Commissioning and Implementation Plan 2024-2028. In 2023, Belfast City Council also unanimously supported the establishment of an overdose prevention facility in the city.

Extern, one of the leading charities working in harm reduction and addiction support across Ireland, is supporting the delivery of the conference locally. As part of preparations for the event, Extern has also offered specialised harm reduction training to ICC Belfast’s front-of-house team, building on more than two decades of experience delivering services within homelessness and addiction sectors.

Rob McConnell, Chief Executive, ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall, and Ulster Hall said:

“Securing Harm Reduction International 2027 is a hugely significant win for Belfast and Northern Ireland."

The conference will bring substantial economic benefits to the city through international visitor spend and hotel occupancy, while also showcasing Belfast as a progressive, globally connected destination for world-class conferences and events.

“Beyond the economic impact, this event presents an important opportunity to create meaningful social legacy through international collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and public health innovation. We are proud to welcome delegates from across the world to Belfast next year.”

Lucy O’Hare, Director, Harm Reduction International Conference said:

“We are delighted to bring the Harm Reduction International Conference to Belfast in 2027. "

The conference will create opportunities for collaboration between international experts and local organisations, while also delivering meaningful economic impact through international tourism and visitor spend across the city.

Iain Cameron, Project Manager, Extern added:

“Extern is proud to support the delivery of this important conference in Belfast - a city where we have worked alongside people and communities since the 1970s, often in the most challenging circumstances. Our harm reduction approach is shaped by a changing frontline reality: the significant impact of drug use and the complex challenges people face, including homelessness, trauma, mental health, and deep-rooted inequality."

“For Extern, harm reduction means meeting people where they are, treating them with dignity, and walking alongside them without judgment."

As part of the team helping to make this conference a reality, Extern sees it as a timely opportunity to learn from international innovation and evidence, and to draw on successful interventions from across the world to make a difference here in Northern Ireland. 

It will deepen understanding, strengthen collaboration, and contribute to long-term positive outcomes for some of the most vulnerable in Belfast and the wider community.”

This conference is supported by the Belfast and Northern Ireland conference subvention scheme funded by Belfast City Council and Tourism NI, and administered by Visit Belfast.