As part of the United Nations initiative docUNight, UN City in Copenhagen is collaborating with WHO’s Health for All Film Festival (HAFF) to screen winning and officially selected HAFF short films addressing mental health and well-being themes. This event precedes World Mental Health Day and includes discussions and Q&A sessions with experts, aimed at fostering conversations, actions, and solutions to reduce stigma and enhance well-being for all.
The short films showcase ordinary individuals confronting mental health challenges with extraordinary determination and resilience. Covering topics such as depression, climate anxiety, schizophrenia, stigma, and homelessness, these films carry a strong message of hope and emphasize the importance of connection, improved dialogue, and understanding.
This screening aligns with the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization and its commitment to achieving Health For All.
About the Panelists:
Paul Jerndal: An award-winning Swedish filmmaker and mental health advocate, Paul actively engages with organizations and non-profit mental health initiatives to raise awareness and drive positive change through his films.
Rune Jorgensen: A voluntary ambassador with One Of Us, a Danish governmental campaign combating societal stigma associated with mental health conditions. Rune brings 20 years of personal experience living with a mental health condition to his advocacy work.
Dr. Ledia Lazeri: Dr. Ledia Lazeri serves as the Regional Adviser for Mental Health at the WHO Regional Office for Europe. She leads WHO’s work on mental health across various areas, including policy, services, rights, advocacy, and the implementation of the WHO European Framework for Action in Mental Health 2021-2025.
Background:
Mental Health Matters: Despite the significance of mental health, individuals with mental health conditions often struggle to access the support they need. The fear of discrimination and stigma can deter people from disclosing their mental health conditions, affecting their employment, housing, relationships, and more.
Underfunded and Under-resourced: Governments in the WHO European Region allocate only about 3.0% of their healthcare budgets to mental health services, despite approximately 1 in 7 Europeans having a diagnosable mental health condition. Additionally, there are only about 45 mental health workers per 100,000 people in the region.
The WHO Mental Health Coalition: Launched in 2021, the pan-European Mental Health Coalition unites healthcare professionals, academics, individuals living with mental health conditions, and their families to advocate for improved mental health at all levels.
The WHO Health For All Film Festival: The HAFF seeks to engage a new generation of filmmakers in championing global health issues. It invites submissions from independent filmmakers, production companies, NGOs, students, and film schools worldwide, focusing on original short films addressing health-related topics. The festival has garnered over 4,300 submissions from 110 countries since its inception in 2020, with a strong emphasis on mental health in its 2023 edition.
