The Universitat hosted the Mental Health and Pandemic conference. A talk given by Rafael Tabarés, full university Professor of Psychiatry at the Universitat de València. This initiative was born given the important changes that the combination of pandemic and lockdown has brought about on a psychological level.
The Aula Magna of the historic building of the Universitat de València hosted the Mental Health and Pandemic conference, organised by Alexander von Humboldt Association of Spain. The talk was given by the full university Professor of Psychiatry at the Universitat de València, Rafael Tabarés, and was opened by the Principal of the Universitat de València, M. Vicenta Mestre; the full university Professor of Procedural Law, Silvia Barona; and the German Ambassador to Spain, Mr. Wolfgang Dold.
The inauguration of the conference brought together former interns and award winners, both Spanish or resident in Spain, of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Association. The Principal of the Universitat welcomed them and mentioned the importance of preserving Europe united and a science without limits, essential in a knowledge society. She also highlighted that twinning between territories and peoples, between Germany and Spain, makes Valencia and the Universitat a factor of attraction and stimulation of relations between both nations.
The German Ambassador to Spain, Wolfgang Dold, thanked the event’s organisers and congratulated Silvia Barona on her new position as President of the von Humboldt Association of Spain. Moreover, he applauded Silvia’s accordance with the transnational sense of Humbold research. He also stressed the importance of preserving good traditions, such as holding a meeting dedicated to a scientific topic of particular relevance such as mental health. He underlined that in order to heal the consequences of COVID-19, it is imperative to treat the mental effects on a regular basis.
The conference was promoted because of the important changes brought about by the combination of pandemic and lockdown on a psychological level and interpersonal relationships. At present, a stigma has been broken, the state of affairs has been changed and today, mental health problems are no longer a taboo. Everyone is talking about it, more and more naturally, generating new proposals and possible solutions.
The presentation emphasises the need to create a major plan to tackle the population’s needs from the administrations, so that the unacceptable suicide figures can be reduced, and to make the healing of people a motor and an indicator of social progress.
Silvia Barona, president of the Alexander von Humboldt Association, addressed the audience, presenting the activities and meetings held by the association. She also highlighted the incorporation of prestigious researchers who have been awarded the Humboldt prize in different areas of knowledge.
The day ended with a conference given by Rafael Tabarés, commissioner of the presidency of the Generalitat Valenciana in mental health, a field in which he has a long professional career.
