Oslo (2006)

For the fourth conference, the original partners were joined by Voksne for Barn (Adults for Children), the Norwegian NGO active in promoting child and adolescent mental health and supporting families. Held in Oslo on October 11-13, 2006, the theme of the conference was “Developing Resilience and Strength across the Life Span.” In addition to the presentations on the core topics and new developments in the field, the plenary speakers included two leading politicians who spoke from personal experience about how unexpected circumstances can threaten the mental health of individuals. Former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjel Magne Bondevik described an episode of depression he experienced while in office; and Kent Härstedt, a prominent member of Sweden’s parliament, gave a gripping account of how as a young man he survived a Baltic Sea disaster, the sinking of the car ferry Estonia in 1994 with the loss of more than 800 lives. A highlight of the program was a presentation by David Satcher, former Surgeon General of the United States, on disparities in mental health care for minority populations.