Dear Participants,

It is a great pleasure and honor to welcome you at the 1st International Public Mental Health Conference: From Fundamentals to Innovations on the 30th of June – 1st of July, 2017 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The initiative to bring together the leading researchers and practitioners in the field of public mental health has been inspired by the international community under the umbrella of Public Mental Health Section of the European Public Health Association. This conference is also an outcome of continuous collaboration between Lithuanian and Norwegian partners to strengthen public mental health capacities, sharing values, innovative approaches and experiences in mental health care, policy and research. This event creates an opportunity to intensify our networking, sharing ideas and building collaboration together for the better mental health and wellbeing in Europe and in the world.

The Conference is supported by the world known leading researchers in public mental health. The topics covered in the Conference include global mental health issues, integration of public mental health and psychiatry, highlighting knowledge gaps in public mental health, European mental health policy and human rights issues, suicides, adversities and resilience in mental health with special focus on mental health of young people.

In this international Conference a distinctive attention will be delivered to the regional perspective on public mental health and shared results of the bilateral Lithuanian–Norwegian cooperation in the field of public mental health under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism Programme LT11 „Public Health Initiatives“ and beyond. The conference will also serve as an arena for discussing future bilateral “mental health in all policies” initiatives for addressing common public mental health challenges by involving researchers, different policy sectors, non-governmental organizations, social partners, media and communities.

The Conference is organized by the Public Health Institute of the Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University (Lithuania), the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in collaboration with the Public Mental Health Section of the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) and Emden University of Applied Sciences (Germany). The Conference is funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism Programme LT11 „Public Health Initiatives“ and Vilnius University. Herewith on behalf of International Scientific Committee and Local Organizing Committee of the 1st International Public Mental Health Conference: From Fundamentals to Innovations we are looking forward to welcoming you at Vilnius University. Join us for this exciting networking experience in the beautiful city of Vilnius.

Sincerely Yours

jutta.jpgProf. Dr. Jutta Lindert
Chairperson of the International Scientific and Organizing Committee,
President of the Public Mental Health Section of EUPHA,
University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer, Germany
Brandeis University, USA
marija.jpgAssoc. Prof. Dr. Marija JakubauskienÄ—
Chairperson of the National Organizing Committee,
Vice president of the Public Mental Health Section of EUPHA,
Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Lithuania