Happy World Family Doctor Day! This is our day to be visible, to celebrate our discipline, and to honour the vital role family doctors play in every corner of the world. Whether you’re in a rural clinic or a busy city practice, we recognise your care, your resilience, and your unwavering commitment to your communities.
This year’s campaign—Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World—shines a light on the vital, often under-recognised role of primary health care in supporting mental wellness. Around the world, family doctors are helping patients navigate anxiety, depression, grief, and daily stressors.
Prof. Christos Lionis and Prof. Christopher Dowrick, of WONCA’s Working Party on Mental Health, argue that mental health care begins with human connection, and that family doctors are uniquely positioned to deliver it. They highlight the urgent need to invest in primary mental health care, and offer a hopeful vision rooted in evidence, global collaboration, and shared responsibility.
FROM THE PRESIDENT: This month, WONCA President A/Prof Karen Flegg shares a personal video message for World Family Doctor Day, reflecting on the global role of family doctors in building mental resilience. She also takes us inside clinics in India and China, where she met with family doctors and trainees working at the heart of their communities. These visits offer a reminder of how teaching, team-based care, and community outreach are shaping the next generation of our profession. Read her full piece and watch the video message here.
FAMILY DOCTORS ON THE FRONTLINES OF MENTAL HEALTH: Our first video for World Family Doctor Day brings together voices from every region of the world. Family doctors speak openly about the mental health challenges they see in their patients, and the vital role they play in providing early, compassionate care. But they also reflect on something just as important: the need to care for themselves.
This year’s campaign reminds us that building mental resilience isn’t only about our patients. It’s also about supporting the wellbeing of the doctors who care for them. When family doctors thrive, entire communities benefit.
MUSIC AND MENTAL HEALTH: To celebrate World Family Doctor Day 2025, family doctors from around the world came together to sing “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley and the Wailers — a joyful message of hope. This is part of the Music and Mental Health Project, a creative global initiative from WONCA’s Working Party on Mental Health, showing how music connects and uplifts us.
We hope this brings a smile to your face and reminds you: every little thing is gonna be alright 💚🎶
Musical director: Moisés Nunes (Brazil) Producers: Alfredo de Oliveira de Neto (Brazil) and Diarmuid Hayes (WONCA Secretariat).
SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT: To enhance the visibility and impact of our campaign on social media platforms, we have developed a comprehensive board of resources. This board includes a variety of tools such as official logos, promotional banners, customized Zoom backgrounds, and Twibbons. These resources are designed to ensure consistency in our campaign’s visual representation and to facilitate supporters in promoting our message effectively across different online channels. See our social media toolkit here.
JOIN OUR WEBINARS: The Young Doctors’ Movement kicked off our webinar series yesterday with a session on Self-care for family doctors. There are four more sessions coming up.
Starting soon…
Working Together for Change:
How Family Doctors and Patients Can Improve Mental Health (with World Patients Alliance) Date: Monday, 19 May. Time: 12:00 UTC. Register here
Key Concepts for Mental Resilience:
Suffering and Hope; Coherence and Engagement; Eudaemonia and Ataraxia Date: Monday, 19 May. Time: 16:00 UTC. Register here
Cultural Approaches to Mental Health: Tailoring Solutions to Local Communities (with International Federation of Medical Student Associations) Date: Tuesday, 20 May. Time: 10:00 UTC. Register here
Addressing Depression in Primary Health Care: Lessons from the MDD Minds Project Date: Wednesday, 21 May. Time: 13:00 UTC. Register here
FEATURED DOCTOR: This special World Family Doctor Day video features Dr Sunil Abraham, faculty at Christian Medical College in Vellore, India. Recorded at the WONCA South Asia Regional Conference 2025, the video has already resonated with thousands of viewers on Instagram.
Dr Abraham reflects on the emotional demands of working in underserved communities in India and Australia, and the importance of mental resilience and self-care. As he explains:
“I think family doctors face more pressure than many other specialties. Because your next consultation—you don’t know what is coming in… You have no idea what is coming next. So that’s intellectually challenging, and I love that. But it also presents stress, because you have to be on your toes, and you’re dealing with uncertainty most of the time.”
RUN WITH WONCA: As we count down to World Family Doctor Day 2025, we’re inviting the global WONCA community to lace up and get moving together. Physical activity is one of the simplest, most powerful tools we have to support our mental wellness – and it’s even better when we do it as a community. That’s why we’ve launched the WONCA Running Club on Strava.
Join our Running Club: Strava is a mobile app that lets you track your runs, walks, or bike rides using your phone or smartwatch. It’s also a social platform where you can join clubs, follow friends, and cheer each other on. This year’s campaign theme is Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World. Our WONCA running club is a fun, low-pressure way to care for your own mental health, connect with colleagues, and feel part of a shared global movement. Join us here.
WONCA WORLD CONFERENCE 2025
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED: WONCA is pleased to announce the first keynote speakers for the 2025 World Conference in Lisbon. Jim Campbell, Director of the Health Workforce at WHO, will speak on global workforce strategies, with a focus on equity, digital innovation, and policy change. Joining him is Dr Richard G. Roberts, Professor Emeritus from the University of Wisconsin, who brings deep experience in rural practice, health policy, and human factors sciences.
Also confirmed are Associate Professor Tracey Naledi (South Africa), a leader in social accountability and equity-driven systems, and Dr Andrée Rochfort (Ireland), who will address physician health, quality improvement, and sustainable care. Dr Şeyma Handan Akyön (Turkiye), a rising voice in digital health and AI, completes this inspiring first round.
REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE: Early bird registration for the WONCA World Conference 2025 is open until 25 June. Discounted rates are available for WONCA Direct Members trainees and junior doctors, students, and participants from low- and lower-middle income countries. There is also a reduced rate for accompanying persons. Registering early secures the best available rate across all categories. Don’t miss the opportunity to join the global family medicine community in Lisbon this September.
WP/SIG PRE-CONFERENCE MEETINGS: This is a reminder for WONCA Working Parties and Special Interest Groups members to register for the upcoming group meetings in Lisbon on September 16-17, 2025. Please note that registration is mandatory. The deadline for registration is May 30, 2025. Ensure your participation by completing your registration on time. Contact your chair for information on how to register.
KEY DATES:
25 June
Early Bird Discount on Registration.
15 September
Young Doctors’ Movement (YDM) Preconference Exchange
16 September
YDM Pre-Conference & WONCA WPs/SIGs Preconference
17 September YDM Pre-Conference & WONCA Hub (invitation only)
17 – 21 September 2025
WONCA World Conference
Venue: Lisbon Congress Centre — CCL, Lisbon, Portugal.
