Welcome to the 10th Annual Meeting on Mental Health and Media concerning "Stigma and Psychosocial Challenges in Transition from the coronavirus crisis”
As it is necessary to base peace on spiritual and intellectual solidarity, and "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that defenses of peace must be constructed," UNESCO's mission is, above all, moral and deals with the human spirit. UNESCO, therefore, has undertaken the mission to serve as an organization for international "intellectual cooperation."
The UNESCO Chair in Health Education and the Iranian Psychiatrists Association will jointly hold the annual conference on mental health and media. As a national and regional reference base for guiding and supporting educational activities at the global level and with a long-term outlook, UNESCO Chair in Health Education has outstanding goals. Upgrading the capabilities of scientific centers and of health education experts, improving health education plans and practices and promoting public culture in relation to physical, mental and social health are some of these goals. So are contributing to the realization of a purposeful educational system at different the levels of the society and helping in the formulation of a health charter in the physical, mental, social and spiritual dimensions in line with the historical and cultural contexts of medicine in Iran and the global scientific approaches. Furthermore, the UNESCO Chair attempts to serve as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s institution in charge of providing the necessary grounds for the learning communities and scientists and of capacity building in order to equalize educational opportunities for all sectors of society. We also attempt to work for all citizens based on the priorities of the UNESCO Chair that, given the prevalence of mental disorders in society and its serious challenges, has mental health as its top priority.
In addition, given the deciding role of the media in the Communications Era, "Mental Health and the Media," chosen as the title of the conference, focuses on important but ignored issues in mental health. The purpose of mental health conferences is sustainable, effective and ongoing action through enhancing intersectoral and interdisciplinary cooperation in lifelong learning in our nation's mental health. We can only achieve this goal through constructive and continuous interaction with the media.
We are now on the threshold of the 10th Annual Meeting that is devoted to " Stigma and Psychosocial Challenges in Transition from the coronavirus crisis " Given the escalating economic, social and political crises in Iran over the past two decades including the spread of poverty and inequality, the expansion of moral anarchy and mental disorders, we can expect that the Iranian society will encounter new and more extensive types of challenges in relation to "stigma." We hope that this conference will be an effective step toward achieving the long-term goals and building a society free of mental health problems.