Welcome to the Congress

DEAR CONGRESS PARTICIPANTS!

 

Cinema, literature, art, music and all of the things that are called modern culture reflect a society’s state of health like a mirror, including its psychological problems. In other words, the level of cultural development and extent to which people are engaged in the field are indicators of the mental health of a country and a nation as a whole.

 

Who are the characters in our movies and plays? How do they live their lives and what do they teach us as role models? What are popular modern works of literature about? Do they give the reader a ray of light, twilight or complete darkness? Contemporary art, cinema and media offer each person a choice. They determine the direction in which a person’s psyche will develop; they determine his moral guidelines, his eternal or fleeting values and life priorities.

 

We can and should talk about it. We should discuss and search for the directions that will lead us forward and not into a dead end. We should have an honest, open and productive discussion. The Congress on Mental Health: Meeting the Needs of the XXI Century is a great opportunity for such a multilateral and productive discussion.

Nikita S. Mikhalkov

President of the Russian Cultural Fund, Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, People's Artist of RSFSR, Honorary Member of Russian Academy of Arts

more welcome speeches