The Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen
The Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen theme was "Mental Health: Fragility and Resilience of the Future"
Over the past decade, the world has faced a series of extremely devastating challenges, such as the pandemic, the ensuing economic crisis, climate change, natural disasters, wars, including the full-scale war in Europe initiated by Russia against Ukraine. These challenges enhance our resilience and strengthen our friendships. However, they also make our often unseen vulnerability – our mental health – more apparent.
29 First Ladies and Gentlemen from various countries joined in person and online The Third Summit, held at St. Sophia of Kyiv National Reserve. The first panel presented the results of an international sociological study conducted by the British company Alligators Digital on mental health and attitudes towards it in different countries.
The survey was carried out in 11 countries: Argentina, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Israel, Germany, Poland, the USA, Turkey, Ukraine, Croatia, and Japan.
The study was conducted within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Programme "How Are You?" at the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, and with the support of the World Health Organisation.
Additionally, during the Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, 25 memorandums of medical partnership were signed. As a result, Ukrainian hospitals gained 25 "sister" hospitals in various parts of the world, with which they can collaborate and exchange experiences.
Address by Olena Zelenska
Address by Olena Zelenska
According to Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine and founder of the Global Platform of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen:
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“It has long been an axiom that human life is important. It is time to make it an axiom that its quality is also important. Mental health is the foundation of this quality.
It is impossible to call a life of constant anxiety, fear, and uncertainty a quality life. But what can we set against this? When speaking about Ukraine, the world often uses the word ‘resilience’. The personal resilience of each individual makes up the resilience of society. From the individual to the family, from the family to the community, and finally to the entire country. Therefore, there is no more strategic task for the state than to create conditions for the resilience of each person”.
First Ladies and Gentlemen
Olеna Zelenska
First Lady of Ukraine, founder of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform
UkraineAgata Kornhauser-Duda
First Lady of the Republic of Poland
PolandEmine Erdoğan
First Lady of the Republic of Türkiye
TürkiyePhilippa Karsera Christodoulides
First Lady of Cyprus
CyprusRachel Ruto
First Lady of the Republic of Kenya
KenyaElizabeta Georgievska
First Lady of the Republic of North Macedonia (May 2019 - May 2024)
North MacedoniaElke Büdenbender
Spouse of the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany
GermanyMichal Herzog
First Lady of Israel
IsraelRossana Briceño
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize
BelizeDoris Schmidauer
Spouse of the Federal President of the Republic of Austria
AustriaArmanda Begaj
First Lady of the Republic of Albania
AlbaniaAmélie Derbaudrenghien Michel
Spouse of the President of the European Council
European UnionBirgitta Paulina Kristersson Ed
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Sweden
SwedenAkshata Murty
Spouse of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2022 - 2024)
United KingdomMaría Begoña Gómez Fernández
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Spain
SpainEliza Jean Reid
First Lady of Iceland, writer, public figure
IcelandRoberta Metsola
President of the European Parliament
European UnionUrsula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission
European UnionYuko Kishida
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan
JapanHer Royal Highness The Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Norway Mette-Marit
Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Norway
NorwayHer Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden
Queen of Sweden
SwedenDiana Nausėdienė
First Lady of the Republic of Lithuania
LithuaniaJuraj Rizman
First Gentleman of Slovakia (May 2019 - May 2024)
SlovakiaAleš Musar
Spouse of the President of the Republic of Slovenia
SloveniaAnna Hakobyan
Spouse of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia
ArmeniaSirje Karis
Spouse of the President of the Republic of Estonia
EstoniaEva Pavlová
First Lady of the Czech Republic
Czech RepublicTamara Vučić
Spouse of the President of the Republic of Serbia
SerbiaBo Tengberg
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Denmark, Danish screenwriter, cinematographer and director
DenmarkSamina Alvi
First Lady of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (2018 — 2024)
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Participants of the Summit
- Volodymyr ZelenskyyPresident of Ukraine
- Antony BlinkenSecretary of State of the United States
- Stephen FryBritish actor, director, writer
- Mette FrederiksenPrime Minister of Denmark
- Sean PennHollywood actor, director, producer
- Richard GereActor
- Viktor LiashkoDoctor, Minister of Health of Ukraine, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine, Honored Doctor of Ukraine
- Oleg RomanchukDirector of the Institute of Mental Health at the Ukrainian Catholic University
- Bernard-Henri LévyFrench writer, filmmaker
- Antonio LukićFilm director
- Alexis ‘Corinth’ CholasVolunteer surgeon
- Ruslana ‘Unbreakable Rusia’ DanilkinaVolunteer soldier
- Oleksandra MatviychukHuman rights activist, Nobel Prize winner
- Michel HazanaviciusFrench film director
- Zanny Minton BeddoesEditor-in-Chief of The Economist magazine
- Danny BromFounding Director of the Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma
- Viktor DosenkoHead of Department, Institute of Physiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
- Vasyl BaidakUkrainian stand-up comedian and volunteer
- Vlada and Kostiantyn LiberovyUkrainian photographers
- Sarah BrownCo-founder and president of the children's charity foundation Theirworld
- Natalya PidlisnaUkrainian psychologist
- Hanna HomonaiUkrainian TV presenter
- Timur MiroshnichenkoUkrainian TV Host and Journalist
Summit Program
- Panel 1
"Mental Health: Resilience and Fragility of the Future"
The special guest on the panel was the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. During the professional discussion, the event host, actor and writer Stephen Fry, and Oleg Romanchuk, a psychotherapist, documentary filmmaker, and author of popular science books, and the director of the Mental Health Institute at the Ukrainian Catholic University and the Ukrainian Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, discussed issues related to protecting mental health.
The most interesting facts from a study on mental health and attitudes towards it in different countries around the world were also presented. This study was conducted specifically for the Summit by the British research company Alligators Digital as part of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program “How Are You?” initiated by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, and supported by the World Health Organization.
- Panel 2
"Impact of the War on Mental Health"
In this segment, participants discussed how wars and conflicts affect mental health and whether it is possible to adapt to these conditions. They examined how such challenges impact the psychological state of adults and children, both military and civilian. They considered what kind of people we, our children, and grandchildren will become due to these conflicts.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, contributed to the panel discussions.
- Panel 3
"The Generation That Will Lead the World in 15 Years"
This panel focused on modern teenagers, exploring their perspectives on the world and their future within it. The discussion delved into the daily challenges they encounter and the strategies they employ to overcome these obstacles. It also highlighted what adults can do to understand better and support young people’s mental health.
Film director Antonio Lukich presented and screened his short film “How I Spent My Summer Holidays” during the panel.
In addition, there was an engaging discussion titled “The Future Generation and Mental Health”.
Summit's Document
International survey on mental health
A large-scale sociological survey on mental health and attitude towards it in different countries of the world was conducted specially for the Summit.
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