Welcome to the 21st WCP Virtual Congress Program Scheduling

The Caucasus, in the intersection of Europe with the Middle East, constitutes a culturally-diverse area subjected to conflict and tensions for the most part of recent decades. The dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan for sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh reflects more than a century of ethnic conflict, and was the reason for a war in fall 2020, that reached a ceasefire while leaving thousands of casualties and injured and a fragile political situation. During the war and its aftermath, psychiatrists in Armenia and Azerbaijan have been addressing the mental health needs of their compatriots, especially war veterans, children, and healthcare workers. They have taken these responsibilities without the preparation and support needed for such post-disaster challenges. The Conflict Management & Resolution Section of the WPA (WPA-CMCR), founded in 1990 by Prof. Eliot Sorel and colleagues to explore the applications of psychiatry theory and practice to understand, manage, and resolve conflicts, has so far produced publications, presentations, and collaborations. After the start of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, young and senior members of the section started a mission to support psychiatrists in Armenia and Azerbaijan. The team reached out to early-career psychiatrists in both countries, talking to them during and after the war to understand their perspectives, worries, and challenges about the conflict and its impact on mental health, and discuss actions and collaborations needed to help solve the conflict and its consequences. This session will bring together the leading protagonists of this initiative, including WPA-CMCR members and early-career psychiatrists in Armenia and Azerbaijan.