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
Agata Kornhauser-Duda
First Lady of the Republic of Poland (2015 – 2025)
Emine Erdoğan
First Lady of the Republic of Türkiye
Philippa Karsera Christodoulides
First Lady of Cyprus
Rachel Ruto
First Lady of the Republic of Kenya
Elizabeta Georgievska
First Lady of the Republic of North Macedonia (May 2019 - May 2024)
Elke Büdenbender
Spouse of the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany
Michal Herzog
First Lady of Israel
Rossana Briceño
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize
Doris Schmidauer
Spouse of the Federal President of the Republic of Austria
Armanda Begaj
First Lady of the Republic of Albania
Amélie Derbaudrenghien Michel
Spouse of the President of the European Council
Birgitta Paulina Kristersson Ed
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Sweden
Akshata Murty
Spouse of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2022 - 2024)
María Begoña Gómez Fernández
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Spain
Eliza Jean Reid
First Lady of Iceland, writer, public figure (2016 — 2024)
Roberta Metsola
President of the European Parliament
Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission
Yuko Kishida
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan (2021 — 2024)
Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Norway Mette-Marit
Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Norway
Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden
Queen of Sweden
Diana Nausėdienė
First Lady of the Republic of Lithuania
Juraj Rizman
First Gentleman of Slovakia (May 2019 - May 2024)
Aleš Musar
First Gentleman of Slovenia
Anna Hakobyan
Spouse of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia
Sirje Karis
Spouse of the President of the Republic of Estonia
Eva Pavlová
First Lady of the Czech Republic
Tamara Vučić
Spouse of the President of the Republic of Serbia
Bo Tengberg
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Denmark, Danish screenwriter, cinematographer and director
Samina Alvi
First Lady of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (2018 — 2024)
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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