1. Facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration among universities, researchers, practitioners, and community stakeholders in public health, social health, and nutrition.
2. Provide a platform for sharing research, best practices, and innovative approaches that empower communities to improve their health and well-being.
3. Inspire participants to take actionable steps towards addressing public health challenges, promoting social health, and advancing nutrition initiatives within their communities.
4. Foster the establishment of networks and partnerships among academia, healthcare providers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and community leaders to address health disparities and promote community empowerment collectively.

The first Gender, Adult Literacy, Active Citizenship for Social Transformation (GALACST) international conference was held on November 20 – 22, 2019 in the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building of the University of Santo Tomas. Anchored on the theme Literacies, Gender Equality, and Active Citizenship as Pathways to Empowerment and Social Transformation, this face-to-face conference was the first of its kind organized by the University of Santo Tomas in collaboration with the UNESCO Chair in Adult Literacy and Learning for Social Transformation, and the University of East Anglia. The conference aimed at exploring how literacies, gender equality, and global citizenship can play key roles in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The second GALACST came in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 25 – 26, 2022, hence, convened via the Zoom platform. With the theme, Bolstering Intergenerational Learning toward Inclusive, Innovative, and Sustainable Communities amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, it aimed to provide a space for discussions and debates on adult literacy, numeracy, indigenous knowledge system, gender, and active citizenship with particular focus on intergenerational learning across sectors such as education, health, agriculture, business, religion, livelihoods, among others.

The third GALACST or GALACST 3 is slated for April 25 – 26, 2024 with the theme, Empowering Communities through University Partnerships in Public Health. This forthcoming hybrid international conference continues to prioritize addressing the SDGs but with a special focus on creating awareness on how universities partner with communities with focus on public health.