Mental Health Summit: Prevention and Recovering in Modern Society
In the European Mental Health Week, MEP András Kulja hosts a Mental Health Summit on Prevention and Recovery in Modern Society event at the European Parliament in Brussels on 19-20 May 2025. More information on the whole event (19-20 May) can be found here.
In the context of this summit, Culture Action Europe is co-organising and contributing to two panels on 20 May 2025 from 9:00-12:30 CET on the role of culture and the arts in mental health. A sneak -peak into the agenda that is still subject to change:
Opening by:
MEP András Kulja, Member of the Committee on Public Health
MEP Zoltan Tarr, Member of the Committee on Culture and Education
Commissioner Glenn Micallef, Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport
Panel 1: Prevention and Early Action in Mental Health
Speakers include:
- Dr. Daisy Fancourt, Professor of Psychobiology & Epidemiology and Head of the Social Biobehavioral Research Group at UCL
- Representative of DG Sante (TBC)
- Katy Geertsen, ARTS for HEALTH AUSTRIA, Dance Artist, Youth Dance Project
- Dr. Rarita Zbranca, Programme Director, Cluj Cultural Centre, Lead Author of the CultureForHealth Report
Panel 2: Culture in the Management and Treatment of Illnesses
Speakers include:
- Niels Fietje, WHO Europe, Behavioural and Cultural Insights Unit: Cultural Activities as Health Behavior, Insights for Mental Health
- Karl Lavò, Senior Policy, Projects, and EU Liaison Officer at GAMIAN-Europe
- Stine Eskesen Keiding, Project Leader, Arts on Prescription – INTERREG Project
- Kornelia Kiss, Head of Culture and Health at Culture Action Europe, Co-Author of the CultureForHealth Report, Consortium Leader of the CultureAndHealth Platform
The summit’s discussions will contribute to ongoing EU policy debates on mental health as a societal priority, aligning with the Commission’s Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health. A key outcome will be a renewed call for a dedicated EU Mental Health Action Plan, focusing especially on youth.
The programme is co-curated with Culture Action Europe as part of the “CARE: Culture for Mental Health” project and is supported by the European Union and the European Cultural Foundation.