The Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen - Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform

The Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen

September 6, 2023

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

    Ukraine
  • Agata Kornhauser-Duda

    First Lady of the Republic of Poland

    Poland
  • Emine Erdoğan

    First Lady of the Republic of Türkiye

    Türkiye
  • Philippa Karsera Christodoulides

    First Lady of Cyprus

    Cyprus
  • Rachel Ruto

    First Lady of the Republic of Kenya

    Kenya
  • Elizabeta Georgievska

    First Lady of the Republic of North Macedonia (May 2019 - May 2024)

    North Macedonia
  • Elke Büdenbender

    Spouse of the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany

    Germany
  • Michal Herzog

    First Lady of Israel

    Israel
  • Rossana Briceño

    Spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize

    Belize
  • Doris Schmidauer

    Spouse of the Federal President of the Republic of Austria

    Austria
  • Armanda Begaj

    First Lady of the Republic of Albania

    Albania
  • Amélie Derbaudrenghien Michel

    Spouse of the President of the European Council

    European Union
  • Birgitta Paulina Kristersson Ed

    Spouse of the Prime Minister of Sweden

    Sweden
  • Akshata Murty

    Spouse of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2022 - 2024)

    United Kingdom
  • María Begoña Gómez Fernández

    Spouse of the Prime Minister of Spain

    Spain
  • Eliza Jean Reid

    First Lady of Iceland, writer, public figure

    Iceland
  • Roberta Metsola

    President of the European Parliament

    European Union
  • Ursula von der Leyen

    President of the European Commission

    European Union
  • Yuko Kishida

    Spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan

    Japan
  • Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Norway Mette-Marit

    Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Norway

    Norway
  • Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden

    Queen of Sweden

    Sweden
  • Diana Nausėdienė

    First Lady of the Republic of Lithuania

    Lithuania
  • Juraj Rizman

    First Gentleman of Slovakia (May 2019 - May 2024)

    Slovakia
  • Aleš Musar

    Spouse of the President of the Republic of Slovenia

    Slovenia
  • Anna Hakobyan

    Spouse of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia

    Armenia
  • Sirje Karis

    Spouse of the President of the Republic of Estonia

    Estonia
  • Eva Pavlová

    First Lady of the Czech Republic

    Czech Republic
  • Tamara Vučić

    Spouse of the President of the Republic of Serbia

    Serbia
  • Bo Tengberg

    Spouse of the Prime Minister of Denmark, Danish screenwriter, cinematographer and director

    Denmark
  • Samina Alvi

    First Lady of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (2018 — 2024)

    Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Participants of the Summit

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy
    Volodymyr Zelenskyy
    President of Ukraine
  • Antony Blinken
    Antony Blinken
    Secretary of State of the United States
  • Stephen Fry
    Stephen Fry
    British actor, director, writer
  • Mette Frederiksen
    Mette Frederiksen
    Prime Minister of Denmark
  • Sean Penn
    Sean Penn
    Hollywood actor, director, producer
  • Richard Gere
    Richard Gere
    Actor
  • Viktor Liashko
    Viktor Liashko
    Doctor, Minister of Health of Ukraine, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine, Honored Doctor of Ukraine
  • Oleg Romanchuk
    Oleg Romanchuk
    Director of the Institute of Mental Health at the Ukrainian Catholic University
  • Bernard-Henri Lévy
    Bernard-Henri Lévy
    French writer, filmmaker
  • Antonio Lukić
    Antonio Lukić
    Film director
  • Alexis ‘Corinth’ Cholas
    Alexis ‘Corinth’ Cholas
    Volunteer surgeon
  • Ruslana ‘Unbreakable Rusia’ Danilkina
    Ruslana ‘Unbreakable Rusia’ Danilkina
    Volunteer soldier
  • Oleksandra Matviychuk
    Oleksandra Matviychuk
    Human rights activist, Nobel Prize winner
  • Michel Hazanavicius
    Michel Hazanavicius
    French film director
  • Zanny Minton Beddoes
    Zanny Minton Beddoes
    Editor-in-Chief of The Economist magazine
  • Danny Brom
    Danny Brom
    Founding Director of the Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma
  • Viktor Dosenko
    Viktor Dosenko
    Head of Department, Institute of Physiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
  • Vasyl Baidak
    Vasyl Baidak
    Ukrainian stand-up comedian and volunteer
  • Vlada and Kostiantyn Liberovy
    Vlada and Kostiantyn Liberovy
    Ukrainian photographers
  • Sarah Brown
    Sarah Brown
    Co-founder and president of the children's charity foundation Theirworld
  • Natalya Pidlisna
    Natalya Pidlisna
    Ukrainian psychologist
  • Hanna Homonai
    Hanna Homonai
    Ukrainian TV presenter
  • Timur Miroshnichenko
    Timur Miroshnichenko
    Ukrainian 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.

Download file

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