Mental health is critically important to everyone, everywhere. Yet, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) reports, more than a billion people are living with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, making these disorders among the leading causes of disability worldwide. Suicide alone claimed an estimated 727,000 lives in 2021, ranking among the top causes of death for young people. Despite this alarming reality, attention to mental wellbeing and mental health remains peripheral. As the United Nations and WHO have also warned, misinformation and disinformation compound these challenges by deepening stigma, undermining trust in institutions, and impeding collective action.

In response to these challenges, the Faculty of Public Health “Prof. Tzecomir Vodenitcharov, MD, DSc” at the Medical University–Sofia is proud to launch its Blended Intensive Program (BIP) on Flourishing: Mental Health and Wellbeing. This program will combine on-site learning in Sofia with virtual preparatory sessions, offering students and staff an opportunity to explore in a safe environment mental health, wellbeing and human flourishing.  stigmatisation and solutions. Drawing inspiration from the WHO’s call for systemic change, the BIP will emphasize stigma reduction, prevention and care, as well as integration of mental health and wellbeing modules in universities’ curricula.

Participants have the opportunity to engage with evidence-based research, lived experience, and examples of good practice from INGENIUM ALLIENCE and Erasmus eco-sphere universities as well with practitioners and policy-makers. Participants will gain understanding of mental health and wellbeing, while acquiring practical skills to foster flourishing in their environments. We will address how stigma around mental illness persists, why safe spaces for open discussion are critical, and how universities as well as public health systems can integrate mental wellbeing without leaving anyone behind.

Students and Faculty members will also work together in workshops and reflective seminars to address questions such as: How can we reshape environments that influence mental health? How can misinformation be countered to preserve dignity and human rights? And how can universities, communities, and public institutions create spaces that foster resilience and wellbeing? By developing both conceptual and practical skills, participants will be equipped to contribute to university environments where mental health is valued, promoted, and protected.

We warmly invite students, faculty, and staff from partner institutions to apply. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. This is more than an academic exercise: it is a call to action to invest in people and societies. For more information and registration details, please contact Elisaveta Petrova-Geretto (e.geretto@foz.mu-sofia.bg).

Join us in Sofia as we work together to reimagine mental health care and create environments in which individuals and societies can truly flourish.

Call for Participation

Blended Intensive Program (BIP) on Flourishing: Mental Health and Wellbeing

The Faculty of Public Health “Prof. Tzecomir Vodenitcharov, MD, DSc”, Medical University – Sofia is pleased to announce the launch of a Blended Intensive Program (BIP) dedicated to exploring the critical importance of mental health, wellbeing, and the conditions that enable human flourishing.

The BIP will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria from the 20^th to the 24^th of April 2026

📖 Program Details:

• On-Site Activities: A 5-day intensive program hosted at the Faculty of Public Health.
• Virtual Component: One online preparatory meeting on the 16^th of April 2026 in line with BIP guidelines.
• Virtual Component: One online conclusion meeting on the 7^th of May 2026 in line with BIP guidelines.

✅ Eligibility:

The program is open to students, faculty, and staff (minimum of 20 students) from at least three Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), facilitated through interinstitutional agreements.

🌱 Program Focus:

The BIP emphasizes “Flourishing”—understanding mental health and wellbeing not just as the absence of illness but as the presence of conditions for growth, resilience, and fulfilment.

Participants will explore:

• What is mental health?
• What is mental wellbeing?
• How can we create supportive environments for human flourishing?
• Why is it essential to lift the stigma around mental health?
• How can we foster safe, open spaces for dialogue and support?
• What is the role of universities in promoting and protecting mental health?

🎓 Methods and Pedagogical Approach:

• Lectures and seminars delivered by an interdisciplinary team of experts in psychology, psychiatry, public health, social sciences, computer sciences.
• Case studies illustrating challenges and solutions in promoting mental wellbeing across diverse contexts.
• Interactive workshops on resilience, stress management and self-care.
• Group projects developing strategies to promote flourishing in academic and workplace settings.

🎯 Expected Learning Outcomes:

Participants will:

1. Gain a comprehensive understanding of mental health, mental wellbeing, and flourishing.
2. Acquire tools to identify and reduce stigma associated with mental health.
3. Develop practical strategies to foster safe, supportive spaces for dialogue.
4. Explore evidence-based approaches to promoting resilience and wellbeing at individual and community levels.
5. Strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and networking within the field of public health and mental health promotion.

🌍 Program Objectives:

• To empower students with knowledge and skills to promote mental health and wellbeing.
• To normalize mental health discussions and reduce stigma through open dialogue.
• To share best practices for creating flourishing environments in education, work, and society.
• To invest in future leaders who can prioritize wellbeing as a foundation for sustainable public health.

📝 Application Process:

Interested students are encouraged to apply promptly, as spaces are limited and participation will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis.

📌 Registration link:
BIP Sofia 2026 Registration Form: Flourishing: Mental Health and Wellbeing – Google Forms

📧 For further details and application procedures, please contact:
Elisaveta Petrova-Geretto – e.geretto@foz.mu-sofia.bg

✨ This program represents a unique hands -on opportunity for students to engage in critical conversations, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and contribute to building a culture of flourishing and wellbeing.