Community Conference on Memory, Trauma, and Mental Health

In May 2025, the Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador project co-organized the conference “Memoria, Trauma y Salud Mental: Intercambio de Experiencias para la Praxis Comunitaria e Intergeneracional II” in Suchitoto, El Salvador. The event brought together 65 participants, including community leaders, health professionals, artists, educators, and researchers from El Salvador and international partner organizations, to exchange experiences and strategies for addressing the long-term psychological and social impacts of war and violence in post-conflict communities.

Building on the first conference organized in Arcatao in 2023, the gathering created a space for dialogue between community-based practitioners and mental health professionals working in rural regions affected by the Salvadoran Civil War. Workshops and discussion sessions explored a range of topics including trauma and memory, community-based mental health practices, the role of art and storytelling in healing processes, youth engagement, and strategies for strengthening local support networks.

Participants emphasized the importance of culturally grounded and community-driven approaches to mental health that integrate historical memory, collective care, and intergenerational dialogue. The outcomes of the event will contribute to a bilingual research report documenting key insights and recommendations for future community-based mental health initiatives in the region.

The Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador research initiative is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Western University, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and the Ontario Research Fund.