President Iotova: The World Should Recognise Mental Health as a National and Global Priority

Sofia is hosting one of the most significant international events in the field of mental health this year.

More than 250 leading scientists from 24 countries have gathered for the International Conference of the European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation. This year’s topics include the consequences of wars and trauma, as well as developments in digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

After a 24-year hiatus, Bulgaria is once again hosting the prestigious conference. According to data from the World Health Organization, one in six people lives with a mental health condition. President Iliana Yotova and Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev were among the guests attending the event.

Iliana Yotova, President of the Republic of Bulgaria: “When someone is suffering physically, they receive compassion and care, but when they are suffering mentally, they too often receive advice to pull themselves together, or worse still, they are isolated behind a wall of silence. This silence, ladies and gentlemen, is particularly toxic. The world must recognise mental health as a strategic national and global priority. The leadership of a nation is measured by the care it provides to its most vulnerable people. It is time to understand that health is not merely the absence of physical illness, but harmony between body and mind. We are addressing global crises and carrying out technological revolutions, yet in our exhausting daily lives we forget the most important thing — the sense of wholeness and individuality. We are connected to the entire world through the screens we carry in our pockets, yet we are lonelier than ever.”