The fourth International Meeting on the control of Neglected Zoonotic Diseases (NZDs) was held on 19–20 November 2014. The meeting was financially supported by the European Union seventh framework programme through the ADVANZ (Advocacy for neglected zoonotic diseases) and ICONZ (Integrated control of neglected zoonoses)projects. It was hosted by WHO at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and opened by the Assistant Director-General, Dr Nakatani. NZDs are found in communities in low-resource settings across the world, where they impose a dual burden on people’s health and that of the livestock they depend upon. National governments are increasingly seeking to mitigate the impact of NZDs on their citizens by implementing control programmes to address these burdens. These initiatives have been strongly endorsed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Organization for Animal Health and WHO tripartite and financially supported by members of the broader international community including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK Department for International Development, the European Union, the International Development Research Centre and the CGIAR. WHO’s 2012 Roadmap on accelerating work to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and Resolution WHA66.12 on NTDs adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2013 have enhanced visibility of zoonotic NTDs¬ – notably rabies, cysticercosis, echinococcosis, human African trypanosomiasis, foodborne trematodiases and leishmaniasis. Although not specifically included in the WHO Roadmap, other diseases have been addressed by the NZD community such as anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis and leptospirosis. Much of the initial momentum for action against NZDs was catalysed by the inaugural meeting on NZD control in 2005. Whilst the priority at that time was a need for evidence, a decade later the focus is on better implementation of proven pathways for control and mobilizing central governments and donors within broader health and development agendas. The fourth international meeting on NZDs acknowledged the momentum generated by the NZD community over the past decade, urging the more than 100 participants – including representatives from national governments, international organizations, academia, foundations, the private sector and NGOs – to exert their influence and focus on operations, especially for the NZDs included in the WHO Roadmap. Clear themes that emerged throughout this meeting were the need for political commitment, sustainable One Health collaborations and the identification of local champions to drive community participation in control. Examples of programmes making significant progress in the control of some NZDs, both at national and local levels from across three continents, were provided by many countries.