On 16–17 June 2025, GAMIAN-Europe President Péter Kéri represented the voice of lived experience at the WHO High-Level Conference “Mental Health in All Policies: Address Challenges and Design Shared Solutions” in Paris. This key event brought together international leaders, health ministers, experts, and civil society actors to strengthen collaboration and policy coherence on mental health across all sectors.
Speaking as a patient leader, Péter delivered a deeply personal and forward-looking reflection on the growing role of lived experience in shaping mental health systems in Europe. He shared how his journey as President of GAMIAN-Europe has been driven by a vision of connection and co
llaboration across psychiatry, psychology, policy, and patient advocacy.
“This week in Paris, I had the chance to speak as a patient leader — not just on behalf of myself, but as someone who has witnessed and helped shape the path of lived experience leadership over the past years. I spoke about what it meant when I first became president of GAMIAN-Europe: the dream that all sectors — psychiatry, psychology, policy, patient organisations — could truly connect. And now, seeing that vision unfold across institutions like EPA, EBC, EFPA and others, I felt proud to say: we are proving that connective leadership from patients is not only possible, it’s powerful.”
Péter also addressed the pressing need for greater diversity in how lived experience is represented at the European and global level. Too often, only certain types of stories, those deemed more “acceptable”, are elevated in public discourse. He emphasised the need to make space for all narratives, including those that speak to deeper structural harm and marginalisation.
“Trauma doesn’t always look romantic. It’s not always about losing a pet — sometimes it’s about surviving deep structural harm. These ‘less pretty’ narratives can carry deeper insights and solutions — and if we honour them, we can truly build a better future for everyone.”
Reflecting on the broader impact of patient leadership, Péter reminded the audience that even the smallest efforts can have a lasting influence.
“Looking back, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come: what started as small ‘mini’ efforts are now clearly shaping the bigger picture. And what we do — whether people realise it or not — multiplies. It spreads. It’s inherited. That’s why I believe it matters so deeply to stand as a patient leader in front of Europe’s eyes. Because what we do is not just heard — it’s remembered.”
His contribution was a strong reminder that effective mental health policy cannot exist without the voices of those with lived experience at the centre. GAMIAN-Europe is proud to continue pushing for this leadership to be recognised, supported, and embedded at all levels of decision-making.
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