Nordic Mental Health Summit begins in Helsinki

Finland will host the Nordic Mental Health Summit 2021 in Helsinki on Thursday and Friday as part of Finland’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021, said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in a press release on Tuesday.

The Summit will draw attention to post-pandemic mental health promotion in the Nordic countries and to suicide prevention during crisis.

It will also discuss societal measures that promote mental health, build psychological crisis resilience and strengthen the Nordic welfare states.

The Summit will provide an opportunity for Nordic experts, decision-makers, researchers, experts by experience and public officials to meet and discuss the promotion of mental health.

The Summit will include speeches from Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality Thomas Blomqvist and State Secretary Eila Mäkipää.

According to Blomqvist, post-pandemic mental health promotion calls for determined efforts and the exchange of experiences.

“By investing in more effective coordination and closer exchange of information in the Nordic cooperation, we will promote mental health, society’s resilience, gender equality and crisis preparedness,” said Blomqvist.

State Secretary Eila Mäkipää said that the Nordic countries can lead the way in mental health work.

“Promoting mental health requires action from all sectors of society. Individual people, families, workplaces, municipalities and governments — everyone’s input is needed,” said Mäkipää.

Executive Director Sari Aalto-Matturi from MIELI Mental Health Finland said that the Summit gives us an excellent opportunity to discuss post-pandemic mental health promotion.

“It is important that decision-makers, researchers, experts by experience and public officials can share knowledge and experiences on how to strengthen the mental health and coping of the Nordic societies and their residents in exceptional circumstances,” Aalto-Matturi said.

The Nordic Mental Health Summit 2021 will be organised as a hybrid meeting with the possibility to attend the Summit in person at Hotel Clarion Helsinki or online via webcast.

The fourth Nordic Mental Health Summit is organised by MIELI Mental Health Finland in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) as part of Finland’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021.