According to its definition of health as a “state of complete physical, mental & social well-being & not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” the World Health Organization has identified mental health as one of the five key priority areas for health development. It is today acknowledged that mental health issues are the source of specific social & also economic burdens for families, communities & countries. Mental illness significantly diminishes the social role & productivity of the individual in the community, which creates specific burdens of stigmas for those individuals & the affected families & communities.

We know that an organism fights naturally to maintain a state of health and against illness and destruction, it tends naturally towards homeosthasis and turns away from disorganization and the same goes for a community, society, but the world can change only if we can bring about profound change in our understanding and respect for life, from its very beginnings, even before conception.

Just as birth follows the prenatal period of our life, every new phase in life, be it of individuals or of communities, can be considered as a birth to a new life and, just as the intra-uterine experience represents also a learning experience, every new phase in life has a prior preparatory learning phase.

This is why, if we want to make any real and lasting changes in the life and wellbeing of the world’s citizens, we must concentrate our attention on creating awareness of the importance of fundamental concepts, such as dignity and respect and on primary prevention and not only on financial, economic and labour issues, important as they are.