Kindly note that this session has been postponed and will take place within the International Day of Mental Heatlh. Keep posted or contact us to know more!
As COVID-19 continues spreading in many countries and will stay with us for a while, posing a serious threat to our health, security and lives, our societies are facing unprecedented challenges, especially with regard to social interaction, information, health, education and even global governance and leadership.
In response to the spread of COVID-19 and the immediate consequences of this unprecedented crisis, members of Dialogue Café network convened a global videoconference cycle of sessions aimed at sharing ideas and strategies with the aim of analysing how best to minimise the paradigm disruption worldwide.
Dialogue Café Network in cooperation with its partners and other relevant stakeholders from affected countries and beyond, are coming together for connecting ideas and experiences around some of the major issues provoked by this pandemic. This cycle of sessions will focus in the fields of digital competencies, mental health, information, and global governance with the aim of providing a digital space to specialists, representatives of public, private and third sectors, entrepreneurs as well as the general public to share experiences, ideas and expertise in responding to this new emergency.
3rd Session – Keeping mentally healthy amidst the Covid-19 pandemic?
Since March 2020, most countries in the world have been in lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, increasing exponentially in people the experience of fear to the new uncertainty or the unknown. The principal factor of fear is to contract the virus, however significant changes to our daily lives as mobility restrictions and social distancing are additional factors increasing the level of distress in people. Moreover, the economic and employment crisis derived from COVID-19 pandemic are creating difficult situations for many social groups who are more exposed to anxiety and depression feelings. The World Health Organisation is providing advice and guidance to governments and workers of health institutions in general to better look after mental health. There is a risk of massive mental health crisis in the coming months due to COVID-19, according to a policy brief issued by the United Nations last 14th of May. Specific population groups – such as health workers, children and adolescents, older people, people with pre-existing mental issues, people working from home – are at particular risk.
In this framework, Dialogue Café Network would like to address the impact, positive or negative, of COVID-19 in mental health issues through the following questions and other proposed by participants in the discussion: i) how stigmatised is mental health in your country and how?; ii) which are the major challenges with regard to mental health in times of COVID-19 pandemic?; iii) Which are the best strategies and mechanism to ensure mentally health society?
The online debate organised will take place via Dialogue Café videoconference system. Registration is mandatory. The debate will be moderated by a member of Dialogue Café Network through questions and the exchange of experiences. External participants will have the possibility of sharing their questions through chat to experts and guest involved.
Provisional programme
Leida Tolentino, Professor, Psychology and Neuroscience – DC Praia
Emilija Jeremić, Professor, Faculty of Psychology – DC Belgrade
Representative of HEART – DC Novi Sad
Haris E. Imamović, DC Novi Pazar
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