MHE at the ‘Voices of Culture’ Structural Dialogue

MHE was invited to participate in a structural dialogue with the EU Commission and key partners in the cultural sector on how to promote social inclusion. The Voices of Cultures Structural Dialogue aims at encouraging collaboration and understanding between public institutions, the cultural sector and civil society on how to promote social inclusion in Europe.

This first meeting consisted in brainstorming sessions between EU civil society participants from diverse backgrounds, including former teachers, politicians, singers, experts and representatives from European NGOs who all came together to see how public policies can encourage and support cultural institutions in working within partnerships. The second meeting in September will give the opportunity to participants – including MHE – to discuss their main ideas with the European Commission and see how to work all together on specific projects.

MHE has specific interest in this initiative since we are considering the organisation of a European Mental Health Arts Festival in late 2019 to promote the social inclusion of persons living with mental ill health. MHE believes that the cultural sector and the broad spectrum of activities that it covers, can help greatly in the social inclusion and recovery journey of people living with mental ill and psychosocial disabilities.