AMMAN — The War Trauma Conference 2026 commenced on Saturday under the patronage of HRH Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF) and Centre (KHCC).

 

The two-day conference brings together over 40 regional and international speakers, mental health and healthcare specialists, humanitarian workers, researchers, and individuals working directly with war-affected communities, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 

Held under the theme "When there is no ‘Post’", the conference addresses responses to psychological trauma amidst ongoing conflict, displacement, loss, and insecurity, bridging clinical research, lived experiences, and culturally informed therapeutic approaches.

 

Princess Ghida said, "There is no health without mental health, and mental health cannot be achieved without integrated systems, specialised expertise, and a safe environment capable of addressing psychological trauma."

 

"For cancer patients coming from Gaza to KHCC, cancer treatment addresses only one aspect of their suffering. Internally, they carry psychological traumas that no human should endure. We are here today because we reject this injustice," Princess Ghida added.

 

Alexandra Chen, founder and CEO of the Sunrise of Hope Foundation and founder of the "Healing for Gaza" initiative, highlighted the urgency of providing safe, dignity-preserving avenues for recovery for children affected by war trauma.

 

Participants in the conference include Palestinian psychiatrist Samah Jabr, trauma researcher Bessel van der Kolk, public health researcher Sawsan Abdulrahim, internal medicine and psychiatry specialist Nasri Jacir, and Internal Family Systems model founder Richard Schwartz.

 

The conference features keynote speeches and specialised panel sessions examining war trauma's impact on children, families, and frontline workers, while critically evaluating traditional Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) frameworks.

 

A charity dinner for Gaza was scheduled on Saturday evening under Princess Ghida's patronage, featuring a address by physician Ghassan Abu-Sittah and a performance by Palestinian artist Nai Barghouti, with ticket proceeds dedicated to funding mental health services through the "Healing for Gaza" initiative.