SNF Global Center to Convene Second Global Summit on Youth Mental Health 

Author and Advocate Shudufhadzo Musida joins global experts and partners across UNICEF, McKinsey Health Institute, and UGMH to address critical topics, gaps, and new solutions identified by youth

New York, NY – The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute will host the second Global Summit on Youth Mental Health from September 21-24, 2026, under the theme “Redefining Mental Health Care: Youth Perspectives in a Changing World.” The summit coincides with the 81st UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-level Week and is co-led by the SNF Global Center’s Global Youth Advisory Council (GYAC), with members from Brazil, South Africa, and Greece.

Following the success of the inaugural summit, this year’s event will further bridge science, storytelling, and lived experience through breakout sessions, new research and evidence, interactive activations, networking, and notable guest appearances. The summit will bring together multidisciplinary experts, partners, and young leaders from many organizations, including UNICEF, McKinsey Health Institute, JED Foundation, and Grand Challenges. New this year, a series of workshops hosted in collaboration with United for Global Mental Health (UGMH) and the SNF Global Center Communicator Fellows will focus on advocacy, power-mapping, and communications, equipping participants with practical tools to strengthen mental health advocacy and drive change in their communities.

The summit will open with remarks by Child Mind Institute leaders Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, founding president and medical director, and Giovanni Abrahão Salum, MD, PhD, senior vice president of Global Programs, alongside Andreas Dracopoulos, co-president of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). Shudufhadzo “Shudu” Musida will also make a special guest appearance. An Author, Advocate, Podcast Host, and UNFPA Global Champion for Women and Girls, Musida will lead a fireside chat with members of the GYAC, discussing her advocacy journey and their hopes for the future of youth mental health.

“What began as a platform for bringing people and organizations with shared visions together in conversation has grown into a forum for advancing ideas, strengthening partnerships, and translating priorities into joint action,” said Dr. Salum. “This year’s summit aims to deepen those connections while creating new opportunities for youth perspectives to inform research, policy, and solutions.”

Panel discussions moderated by young leaders from the GYAC will examine timely topics related to:

• The role of schools in supporting youth mental health
• The effects of stigma and misinformation
• Links between digital environments, such as social media and other communication channels, and youth mental health
• How youth-led innovation is helping reshape solutions that resonate with diverse young people worldwide

A highlight at this year’s event will feature a presentation by João Marcos Almeida dos Santos, winner of the Single Session Intervention (SSI) competition, a nationwide contest in Brazil launched at last year’s Summit in partnership with the Felipe Neto Institute. The competition challenged young people aged 16-20 to develop solutions for healthier technology habits. Additionally, a dedicated youth networking session will offer an opportunity for participants to connect, build skills, and exchange ideas.

As part of the SNF Global Center’s commitment to advancing partnerships for lasting change, McKinsey Health Institute will present their latest report with World YMCA on the “Community Well-Being Case for Change” that examines topics such as strategic opportunities in well-being literacy as well as early awareness and preventative support. McKinsey Health Institute is an organization dedicated to advancing human health globally by catalyzing the actions and investment needed across continents and sectors.

To learn more about the Global Summit on Youth Mental Health, watch the highlights from the inaugural event in 2025.

About the SNF Global Center at the Child Mind Institute

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute brings together the Child Mind Institute’s expertise as a leading independent nonprofit in children’s mental health and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s deep commitment to supporting collaborative projects to improve access to quality health care worldwide. The center is building partnerships to drive advances in under-researched areas of children and adolescents’ mental health, and expand access to culturally appropriate training, resources, and treatment in low- and middle-income countries. This work is conducted by the Child Mind Institute with support from SNF through its Global Health Initiative (GHI).

About the Child Mind Institute

The Child Mind Institute is the leading nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families experiencing mental health and learning disorders. Since its founding in 2009, the Child Mind Institute has become a global institution reaching millions of families each year through excellence in evidence-based clinical care, renowned educational resources and training, and science to advance the next generation of treatment. 

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