THE THIRD SUMMIT OF FIRST LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

Our world today is going through many crash tests that determine the future of humanity - recovery after the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, natural disasters (earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria) and rapid climate changes. These challenges make our resilience hardened and a true friendship - stronger than ever. At the same time, such intense crises have shown humanity another invisible fragility that needs protection — our mental health.
Mental health is an integral part of human well-being; therefore, developing human capital worldwide is only possible with due attention to this area.

The Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen will focus on the most pressing issues we can address to create a better future tomorrow together. The Summit will serve as a platform for the exchange of valuable thoughts, ideas, and experiences, and our conversation will be a catalyst for a deeper understanding of the importance of mental health.

International Survey

Specially for the Summit, a comprehensive sociological study on mental health and attitudes towards it was conducted in various countries around the world. The study covered 11 countries in different regions of the world: Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, Germany, Israel, Japan, Poland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Türkiye, and Ukraine. These countries collectively represent diverse cultures, languages, and traditions. Moreover, among these countries are both those that are living through the war now or have experienced recent conflicts and those that have gone through significant conflicts many decades ago.

The most interesting findings from the study will be presented for the first time during the Summit.

The study was conducted online by the British research company Alligators Digital, which has received numerous awards for innovative research. The study was implemented as part of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program "How are you?" initiated by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, and with the support of the World Health Organization. The research was expertly supported by Coordination Centre for Mental Health under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, BRAND UKRAINE, and “Barrier-Free” NGO.

Expert Talk: How to care about mental health and nurture resilience?

Together with Stephen Fry and Dr Oleg Romanchuk (a psychotherapist, author of documentaries and sci-pop books, and the director of the Institute of Mental Health at the Ukrainian Catholic University and the Ukrainian Institute of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy), we will discuss the protection of our mental health, nurturing resilience, and explore whether there is a formula for resilience.

Mental Stage: International Medical Partnership

Host: Timur Miroshnychenko
Participants: Ministers of Health of Ukraine and partner countries

We will learn the details of an extremely important medical initiative launched under the patronage of senior officials - the International Medical Partnership Project in Mental Health. This will allow us to combine the efforts of the best foreign specialists to save thousands of lives, both in Ukraine and in other partnership countries. The project envisages regular exchange of knowledge and experience, joint research, and addressing many challenges, thus laying the foundation for post-war recovery.

In this Part, we will discuss how wars and conflicts impact mental health and whether it is possible to adapt to these effects. We will delve into how such challenges affect the mental well-being of both adults and children, military personnel, and civilians. What will be the aftermath of these conflicts for us, our children, and our grandchildren? To understand this, we will compare the experiences of different countries and generations that have experienced war, seeking ways for a faster post-traumatic growth.

Conversation on the main stage: Stay human in the wartime to prevail

How can we make sense of the experience of war? Can we find new values and meanings when such tragic events happen around us every day and every minute? What can the world learn from our experience? How can this experience lead to faith in humanity, support and love? How can these experiences help foster resilience? The conversation will be about this.

Panel discussion: The War and Mental Health

During our conversation, we will seek to understand how the experience of war specifically impacts our mental health. What happens in the years and decades that follow such experiences? Does the experience of going through war always lead to mental health issues and disorders? Is there a formula for post-traumatic growth? And one of the most crucial questions - how to protect our humanity during times of war, and is it possible to feel happiness under such conditions?

Moderator: Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist magazine 

Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine, founder of the Summit

Diana Nausėdienė, First Lady of Lithuania

Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic

Dr. Aleš Musar, First Gentleman of Slovenia

Danny Brom, founding director of the Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma,

Viktor Dosenko, pathophysiologist and geneticist, head of the department of the Institute of Physiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine
Announcement of the initiative on International Medical Partnership

Mental Stage: Art and Mental Health

Moderator: Timur Miroshnychenko
Participants:
Bo Tengberg, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Denmark
Michel Hazanavicius, French director
Vlada Liberova and Kostiantyn Liberov, Ukrainian photographers
Sean Penn, Hollywood actor, director, producer

In this session, we will talk about how art itself affects our emotional state and how it reflects and imprints evidence of what we all feel now, becoming a mental diary of the world for years to come. We will also talk about how culture and art can help overcome psychological challenges.

In this Part, we will discuss today's adolescents: how they perceive the world, their future in it, the challenges they face daily, and how they overcome them. We will also explore what adults can do to take greater care of their mental health and help them flourish.

Panel discussion: Future Generation and Mental Health

Moderator: Chair and Co-founder of Theirworld
Participants: First Lady of Estonia Sirje Karis, First Lady of Serbia Tamara Vučić, partner of the President of Slovakia Juraj Rizman, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Armenia Anna Hakobyan, psychologist Natalya Pidlisna, Ukrainian tik-toker, as well as singer, influencer and actress Anastasia Markiv, Hollywood actor, public figure, a good friend of Ukraine Richard Gere (online)

We will discuss the issue of digital challenges for today's adolescents. What threats and opportunities does the digitalization of the world bring? How can the older generation support teenagers in adapting to this world without limiting them? You will also hear about projects related to adolescent mental health. What care and support does this generation need? What can we do to better understand them and make each other happier?