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Dr. Chibanda is a Professor of Psychiatry and Global Mental Health at both the University of Zimbabwe and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. His Friendship Bench program has expanded access to mental health support for over one million people by training grandmothers to deliver evidence-based therapy in their communities. His work blends cultural wisdom with scientific rigor, offering a powerful model for equitable, scalable care.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Chibanda as our ICED 2026 keynote speaker,” said AED President Gry Kjaersdam Telleus, PhD, FAED. “His visionary work exemplifies how cultural wisdom and scientific rigor can come together to transform mental health care. We are sure he will inspire all of us to think beyond borders, embrace community-driven solutions and reimagine what equitable, culturally-attuned care can look like for people affected by eating disorders across the globe.”
Dr. Chibanda’s work has been widely recognized, including via publishing major scientific journals such as JAMA, where he published a landmark randomized controlled trial demonstrating the effectiveness of the Friendship Bench model. He has also written extensively about his work in publications such as the Guardian, LA Times, and the World Economic Forum, and his TED Talk has generated more than 3 million views. His vision is anchored by his powerful belief that “when we make people comfortable with being vulnerable, healing begins.” His work spanning over 20 years is captured in his recently published book, The Friendship Bench: How Fourteen Grandmothers Inspired A Mental Health Revolution.
ICED 2026 will take place on June 3–5, 2026, in The Hague, Netherlands. The conference theme is Connecting Cultures in Eating Disorders Research and Practice.
Mark your calendars to join Dr. Chibanda and colleagues from around the world for three days of cross-cultural exchange, cutting-edge research, interactive workshops, and networking.
Registration and program details will be available soon at www.aedweb.org.
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