Each June, alongside our partners at the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection (GILC) and Marmalade Trust, the Coalition activates local communities, policymakers, and innovators for Global Loneliness Awareness Week. Together, we share resources, identify areas of collaboration, and educate the public on the importance of connection. This year, we are excited to convene once again on June 11th in Washington, D.C. Stay tuned for more information – including our agenda and speakers!

With the growing global mental health crisis, this event is dedicated to fostering insightful discussions, exploring innovative approaches, and understanding the evolving landscape of mental wellness in our community. We will bring together diverse perspectives exploring the future of design for mental health through the lens of programs, place, and tech. We will break down silos, charting a transdisciplinary path forward to cultivate meaningful change and provide a context for future design and research.

I was honored to be in conversation with Evelyn M Lee on her podcast, Practice of Architecture talking about how to use architecture and design to address loneliness, promote well-being, and foster inclusive and supportive work environments

Learn about the link between social health and overall health outcomes, specifically how loneliness has toxic health outcomes worse than smoking and obesity, and how social connection fosters health.

Explore how the built environment is a determinant of social health, working on a systems level to help to foster social interaction and health

Understand how third places impact social health and what tangible steps we can all take to reduce feelings of loneliness in our lives and in our communities.

Share an evidence-based framework to design for social connection, examine scalable strategies that lead to social environments that promote meaningful connections.