Participant Registration
2nd Research Carnival on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
Reimagining Wellbeing: Indigenous Knowledge and Approaches and Protection of Humanitarian Workers
Dates: 23-25 September 2026
Location: The Boma, Nairobi, Kenya
Host: Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS)
Organised by: RCRC Movement MHPSS Hub, Kanya Red Cross, British Red Cross, Swiss Red Cross
In partnership with: Protect Humanitarians (Belgium), McGill University
NOTE: Practical information about the event can be found in the FAQ.
1. About the Research Carnival
Following the resounding success of the inaugural event in Copenhagen (2023), the 2nd Research Carnival on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is coming to Nairobi, Kenya, from the 23rd to the 25th of September 2026. The carnival is a dynamic, interdisciplinary gathering designed to share ideas, challenge conventions, and co-create knowledge at the intersection of mental health, culture, and humanitarian action.
The 2026 Carnival aims to deepen the global conversation on MHPSS by shifting its lens to the Global South. Hosted in collaboration with the Kenya Red Cross Society and in partnership with the NGO Protect Humanitarians, this edition will explore whose knowledge and experiences shape current MHPSS practice – and whose voices may still be missing. We invite you to join us in Nairobi—to reflect on existing approaches and highlight Indigenous and community-led approaches to wellbeing. A dedicated thematic day organised with Protect Humanitarians will focus on research and practice related to the protection and safety of humanitarian staff and volunteers.
2. Theme: Reimagining Wellbeing
The central theme of the 2nd Research Carnival is Reimagining Wellbeing – a broad and inclusive exploration of how wellbeing is understood and practiced across diverse contexts. The programme brings together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, community leaders, and humanitarian organisations to examine MHPSS from multiple perspectives, including critical reflection on established systems, innovative approaches to practice, and opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.
A dedicated thematic day will focus on the protection of humanitarian workers and the MHPSS approaches used to support them. Here, we will explore staff care, duty of care, recovery after violence, and the wellbeing of frontline workers and their families, bringing together expertise from research, humanitarian practice, and organisational leadership.
The programme of the 2nd Research Carnival reflects the diversity of contemporary MHPSS scholarship and practice, including critical examinations of dominant models, contextual and community-led approaches, integration across sectors, and emerging challenges affecting mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in humanitarian settings. Through dialogue across disciplines and sectors, the Research Carnival aims to challenge assumptions, share learning, and strengthen both the evidence base and practical effectiveness of MHPSS.
The themes explored throughout the Carnival include, but are not limited to:
- Critiques of dominant epistemologies and practices of wellbeing and MHPSS
- Indigenous approaches to individual and collective wellbeing
- Duty of care and the protection of humanitarian workers
- Recovery and healing after violence affecting humanitarian workers and their families, including justice and legal dimensions
- Organisational approaches to staff care, safety, and wellbeing in humanitarian settings
- The multi-dimensional nature of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing
- Decolonial frameworks in MHPSS programming
- Best practices for integrating and mainstreaming MHPSS across sectors
- Psychosocial wellbeing in contexts of peace and armed conflict
- Social determinants of mental health and wellbeing
- Climate change and its impacts on mental health and wellbeing
3. Registration guidelines
The 2nd Research Carnival on MHPSS aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, students, and professionals interested in MHPSS.
3.1. Participant requirements
Please see the FAQs for additional information regarding eligibility requirements.
Participants should meet the following criteria:
- Academic level or relevant professional experience.
- English language proficiency sufficient for active participation in discussions and activities.
- Priority will be given to applicants who are available and committed to participating in the full Research Carnival programme across all three days (23-25 September 2026, Nairobi, Kenya).
3.2. How to register
Please register here: Registration form – 2nd Research Carnival
NOTE: For your application to be considered, please fill out all questions in the registration form.
Registration deadline is Thursday, 13 August 2026 at 23:59 CEST
3.3. Visa requirements
General information regarding visa requirements for Kenya can be found at the Kenya Directorate of Immigration Services. Please indicate during registration if you are in need of further support regarding obtaining visa to Kenya.
3.4. Cost
There is no participation fee for the 2nd Research Carnival.
Participants are responsible for covering their own expenses related to travel, accommodation, visa costs, and other related expenses.
It is strongly advised to book refundable tickets and accommodation in case of unforeseen changes.
There will be served free lunch and coffee/tea for participants during all three days of the event. Please indicate any dietary requirements when registering.
4. Participation and Logistics
- Format: The Research Carnival is an in-person-only event.
- Location: Nairobi, Kenya.
- Duration: Three full days, 23-25 September 2026.
- Catering: Lunch and snacks will be provided during the event.
- Travel and accommodation: Participants are responsible for arranging and funding their own travel and accommodation.
5. Important dates
- Call for Papers: 23 March – 30 April 2026
- Participant Registration Open: 9 July – 13 August 2026
- Selection of Participants: 14-20 August 2026
- Final Confirmation of Participation: 31 August 2026
- Final Programme Published: 31 August 2026
- Research Carnival Dates: 23-25 September 2026
6. Contact
For questions regarding the 2nd Research Carnival, please contact MHPSS Hub coordinators Cátia de Matos (camat@rodekors.dk) or Clara Thi Thanh Heilmann Jensen (clath@rodekors.dk).
Co-funded by the Directorate-General Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD) of the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
