The Government of Antigua and Barbuda, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), will co-host a high-level event titled “Uniting the Americas for Mental Health: From Commitment to Action” on June 25, 2025. The gathering is scheduled as an official side event of the 55th Regular Session of the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly.
Set to take place in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, the event will bring together Ministers of Foreign Affairs from across the hemisphere for a strategic dialogue aimed at reinforcing regional leadership on mental health. It will also be livestreamed through the OAS media center to allow broader participation.
According to organizers, the primary goals of the session include leveraging regional leadership on mental health in the lead-up to the Fourth United Nations High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health and Well-being, identifying regional achievements and ongoing challenges, and reaffirming priorities for regional collaboration on mental health.
The session will be conducted in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish, with simultaneous translation available in all four languages. It will begin at 1:00 p.m. (EDT/AST), aligning with the local time in St. John’s and Washington, D.C.
The event comes at a time when the Americas are facing a deepening mental health crisis. Over 160 million people in the region are living with a mental disorder, most without access to adequate care. Suicide claims more than 100,000 lives each year in the hemisphere, underscoring the urgency of coordinated action.
Organizers stress that mental health is not just a health sector issue but a major economic and development challenge. The global cost of untreated mental disorders is projected to reach $16 trillion by 2030. In the Americas, poor mental health has been linked to reduced productivity, unemployment, lower educational outcomes, poverty, homelessness, and incarceration.
Regional crises—ranging from rising violence and substance abuse to large-scale migration and natural disasters—have only intensified the strain on mental health systems.
With world leaders set to convene at the United Nations General Assembly this September to adopt a declaration on NCDs and mental health, the June 25 side event is seen as a critical opportunity for the Americas to shape the global mental health agenda.
More information and the livestream can be accessed via the OAS Media Center or PAHO’s website.
