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UP at the Mental Health Festival 2025

May 23, 2025, at the University of Primorska (UP) was marked by the spirit of the Mental Health Festival, which is being organized for the third consecutive year by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) in collaboration with its partners. On this occasion, the Rector of UP, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, welcomed the Minister of Health, Dr. Valentina Prevolnik Rupel, and the Director General of NIJZ, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Branko Gabrovec. Lectures and workshops held at the UP Faculty of Management (UP FM) also featured participation from UP lecturers. The UP Book Club joined the event with a Silent Reading Party.

Martina Mravlja (UP IAM) gave a lecture titled Loneliness – What Can Young People Learn from the Elderly?, in which she offered a broad perspective on the topic of loneliness and dispelled the stereotype that loneliness increases with age. She presented research showing that young adults are actually more likely to experience loneliness than older individuals and equipped participants with techniques to cope with it.

(On photo: Martina Mravlje, UP IAM)

In the lecture Mental Health in Times of War, Natural Disasters, and Economic Uncertainty, speakers Eva Sedlašek (UP IAM), Hana Stela Hrovatin (URI Soča), and Matej Vinko (NIJZ) addressed protective factors and coping strategies for dealing with the stress and challenges brought on by sudden life changes. They highlighted the significant mental health impacts of such events and analyzed how different age groups – adolescents, students, and adults – respond to these challenges.

(On photo: Eva Sedlašek, UP IAM)

Simple mindfulness exercises to support everyday challenges were presented by Nina Krohne (UP IAM) during a brief workshop titled Mindful Coping with Everyday Challenges. She demonstrated the benefits of mindfulness, such as greater authenticity, acceptance, kindness, and inner peace.

One of the global challenges faced by Slovenia as well is population aging. The roundtable discussion On the Challenges of Aging addressed how Slovenia can contribute to the development of international policies and United Nations documents related to population aging. The discussion featured Matej Vinko (NIJZ), Ester Benko (UP FVZ), Dr. Nuša Zadravec Šedivy (UP IAM), Danijela Horvat Samardžija (UP PEF), and Dr. Jurka Lepičnik Vodopivec (UP PEF), and was moderated by Aleš Kenda (Ministry for a Solidary Future).

The festival brought together numerous experts and organizations who provided participants with support, knowledge, and opportunities for dialogue. Stalls, interactive corners, a human library, lectures, and workshops ensured that everyone could find something meaningful and reminded visitors that mental health is for everyone – every day.