On 7 October 2025, as part of World Mental Health Day week, the RECETAS team in Barcelona gathered Catalan and international experts to explore how nature and social connection can work together to combat loneliness and build healthier, more connected communities.
Opening the Conversation: Loneliness and Public Health
Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a major public health challenge, requiring integrated approaches that bridge policy, practice, and research.
The meeting opened with welcoming remarks from Dr. Jill Litt (ISGlobal), Dr. Ledia Lazëri (WHO Regional Advisor for Mental Health, Europe), and Dr. Esteve Fernández (Secretary of Public Health, Department of Health of Catalunya).
On 23 May 2025, the World Health Organization adopted a landmark resolution acknowledging that “social connections are pillars of public health,” in response to the growing global “epidemics of loneliness.” – read the report – From loneliness to social connection: charting a path to healthier societies.
Catalonia has become a European leader in public policies addressing loneliness, advancing a political vision of Barcelona as a city of connection and community.
- Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya): Professional training on loneliness, publication of a guidance manual for practitioners, and sustainable funding for social prescribing across all regional health centers.
- Barcelona City Council: Implementation of the Municipal Strategy Against Loneliness (2020–2030) with 135 operational actions, the creation of a Loneliness Observatory, and an interdepartmental task force to coordinate the strategy.
- National level in Spain: Work is underway on an interministerial national strategy to tackle loneliness, supported by local government consultations and a dedicated scientific advisory council.
In Catalonia, the next step can be built on existing initiatives by integrating RECETAS methodologies and the Circle of Friends approach into public health programs across regional health centers.
Bridging Research, Policy, and Practice
The roundtable “Closing the Gap Between Policy, Practice and Research in Loneliness” explored national and local strategies to reduce loneliness.
- Laura Coll Planas (Universitat de Vic) presented a short overview of the loneliness situation and early indications from the RECETAS randomized controlled trial in Barcelona and facilitated the exchange with the other panelists.
- Carmen Galán (Institute for the Elderly and Social Services – IMSERSO) presented Spain’s efforts to develop a national loneliness strategy, emphasizing cross-sector collaboration.
- Magda Orozco (Barcelona City Council) shared insights from the Barcelona Strategy Against Loneliness, highlighting the city’s integrated, community-based approach.
Speakers underscored the importance of continued collaboration among institutions to translate scientific evidence into sustainable public policies that foster inclusion and connectedness.
How Nature Heals: The Power of Green and Blue Spaces
The session “How Nature Heals: Nature as an Antidote for Health and Well-being” highlighted European projects using nature-based and social interventions to promote mental health. Moderated by Dr. Irene Cervera Buisán, the discussion featured the:
- RECETAS Project – Dr. Jill Litt (ISGlobal): showing how nature-based social prescribing can strengthen social bonds and improve well-being.
- RESONATE Project – Dr. Mònica Ubalde López (ISGlobal): exploring coastal therapies to support mental health.
- GreenMe Project – Carola Domènech Panicello (UOC): advancing equity in nature planning.
- Forest Therapy Hub – Alex Gesse (Forest Therapy Hub): promoting the Five Components of Nature-Based Interventions framework for evidence-based practice.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate the growing evidence base for nature’s role in supporting mental health, fostering social connection, and building sustainable communities.
Translating Evidence into Action
The final session, “Real People, Real Issues: Social Prescribing in Catalunya,” brought the conversation from theory to practice. Marc Olivella from the Catalan Department of Health told the story of how Social Prescribing was adopted in Catalonia, followed by Montse Maso facilitating reflections from professionals who implemented the “Friends in Nature” intervention, Ramon Gibert and Isabel Villar, highlighting its positive effects on participants’ well-being and its potential for broader integration into regional health systems.
Through these exchanges, participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to transforming research into real-world impact : creating tangible, community-based solutions that promote social connection and mental well-being across Europe.
View the photo gallery of the day:
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