I was recently able to attend the World Federation for Mental Health World Congress in Barcelos, Portugal. Barcelos is lovely little city in the North of Portugal on the path of the Camino de Santiago. When I enquired about why the Congress was being held there, I was told it was because Barcelos is the first World Mental Health City. This signified their commitment to a whole-of-government focus on mental health in policy and supports, countering stigma and discrimination, and facilitating the development of a 70 organisation mental health network, amongst many other projects. The Municipality of Barcelos hosted the event. I was impressed at how proud and committed they were to providing mental health supports to their citizens.
A highlight of the Congress was the formal signing of declaration by European cities to create the European Network of Mental Health Cities (ENMHC). This Network is a collaborative platform that brings together cities and municipalities across Europe with the shared objective of promoting mental health as a strategic pillar of local governance. The EMHCN represents a strategic initiative within the World Mental Health Capital action plan. The network was officially launched at the European Parliament on10 April 2025. This was an impressive commitment to raise the profile of mental health across Europe, backed by political commitment, cross-country collaboration, and resourcing. It made me, and other Australians at the Congress, think about how this idea might be translated here at home, and how powerful such a collaboration within and across cities here could be.
This work also reinforced the paper I presented at the Congress: A place for everyone: Social citizenship and the importance of communities. It also highlights the importance of integrated and co-ordinated community responses that provide supports where and when people need them, and the leadership role governments (and communities) must take – a theme of the new Productivity Commission report. In Flourishing News this month you can check out the stories on the Commission’s report, as well as social citizenship; and read Harrison and Trisha’s recovery stories which show how they are bringing it to life.
I hope you enjoy reading those stories.
Mark Orr AM
Chief Executive
