Prof. Ferrero Presents the History and Purpose of the Geneva Prize

The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) is proud to share the recorded lecture prepared by Professor François Ferrero, President of the Geneva Prize Foundation, to present the Geneva Prize.

Prof. Ferrero’s lecture offers a deeply personal and educational reflection on why the Geneva Prize matters and why its human rights grounding are central to global psychiatric practice.

Presenting the History and Purpose of the Geneva Prize

In his lecture, Prof. Ferrero traces the Geneva Prize’s origins back to its founding in 1998, on the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He explains how the Prize was conceived to honour those in psychiatry(practitioners, advocates, and organisations), who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to:

• Equity and humanity in mental health care
• Reducing stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness
• Promoting ethical standards and human rights in psychiatric services

These founding goals, are very relevant. While much progress has been made, mental health care around the world continues to face deep inequities, and psychiatric systems still must respond to the call for dignity, justice, and patient-centred care.

The Prize’s role is not just as recognition, but as a call to action: to inspire psychiatrists, policymakers, and civil society to build services grounded in respect for human rights, in line with evolving global norms such as those embodied in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

A Brief Portrait: Prof. François Ferrero and His Role

Prof. Ferrero is a distinguished psychiatrist and long-time advocate for rights-based mental health care. As President of the Geneva Prize Foundation, he has overseen the Prize’s development and helped shape its vision. His career spans both academia and clinical leadership: he has served in senior and leadership psychiatric roles in Lausanne and Geneva (as the Director of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Geneva and at the Geneva University Hospitals and President of The Geneva Prize for Human Rights) contributed extensively to psychiatric research, and worked closely with international bodies, including WPA and the WHO. His dedication to ethics and human rights in psychiatry is widely recognised across the global mental health community.

Why This Video Lecture Matters for WPA

For the WPA community, Prof. Ferrero’s lecture is a powerful reaffirmation of our shared commitment to human rights in psychiatry. It reminds us that the Geneva Prize is not just an award; it is a moral compass pointing toward dignity, respect, and justice for all people with mental health conditions.

We encourage all WPA members to watch this video lecture, reflect on its message, and share it with colleagues, students, and the wider psychiatric community. It is a timely invitation to renew our collective dedication to ethical, humane, and rights-based mental health care.