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California: First Partner Siebel Newsom co-hosts summit elevating social connection as an urgent public health priority at the Vatican

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Oct 8, 2026

First Partner Siebel Newsom co-hosts summit elevating social connection as an urgent public health priority at the Vatican

What you need to know: First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, in patronage of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, convened global scientists, academicians, doctors, faith leaders, state officials, and advocates for a two-day summit exploring opportunities to advance social connection and belonging in a time of uncertainty and division.

VATICAN CITY – First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, in patronage of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS), co-hosted a two-day international summit at the historic Casina Pio IV at the Vatican last week. The summit brought together cross-sector leaders to confront the growing global crisis of social disconnection, advance a shared agenda to treat social health with the same urgency as physical and mental health, and share all of the programs that California and other communities across the world have modeled to answer this call.

First Partner Siebel Newsom addresses the room during a summit on social connection and belonging at the Vatican that convened leaders across the world. (Photo courtesy of Gabriella M. Marino)

We are facing a crisis of disconnection and social isolation in our world. And, in California, we have intentionally designed systems to move belonging from an individual experience to a collective action.

"That means bringing folks together across disciplines to share their expertise on social connection and belonging so that everyone has a voice in that design.

This summit created a shared space for scientists, academics, doctors, public servants, artists, storytellers, and young adults to showcase the importance of building with intention and advance recommendations for strengthening social health globally

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom

Together, we examined relational theories of human flourishing through multiple disciplinary lenses and in relation to the contemporary crisis of belonging, based upon the social doctrine of the church and replicable models of policy implementation and scholarship. It was inspiring and informative learning from colleagues in California, as well as from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, PASS Council Member & Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Boston

Inside the Summit

The summit, Belonging and Social Relations in the Age of Fragility, opened with a clear and unifying message that loneliness and disconnection are not merely individual struggles but measurable public health and societal risks, on par with smoking, obesity, and other leading threats to well-being. Framed around science, evidence-based research, faith, and policy, the two days encompassed the scientific and theological foundations of belonging and concrete tools and programs that California and global partners are using to rebuild social connection across communities.

The summit explored global research on how bringing people together – social connection – is a vital sign of health, underscoring that relationships shape human development and that community connection is a natural human need. In today's evolving digital world, speakers emphasized an increased need to treat social connection as a public health metric. Alongside world-renowned scientists, social scientists, Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences academics, doctors, program directors, professionals, artists, storytellers, additional state leadership, and young adults, California leaders underscored how the state is building social health into the infrastructure of its policies and programs – from expanding gathering spaces through libraries and state parks to establishing the largest service corps in the United States to creating a Move Your Body, Calm Your Mind Movement to launching California's Social Health Council – while also learning from approaches being explored in other institutions.

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The convening will continue beyond the summit as the Office of the First Partner and Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco in patronage of the PASS, will soon publish a white paper that offers learnings for advancing belonging and social connection as a public health priority worldwide.

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, Cardinal Peter Turkson, and summit participants gather outside of the Vatican.

Building on California's commitment to social connection

The summit builds on California's commitment to creating healthier, more connected communities through the First Partner's California Love, California Strong initiative and comes as growing research underscores the significant impact of loneliness and social isolation on individual and community well-being.

"California is scaling service to rebuild connection in a fragile time. When people serve side by side — people who think differently, look differently, live differently — we build solidarity, trust, belonging. Imagine if every young person got the chance to serve. That's what we are building in California — and we are inviting the world to build with us," said GO-Serve Director and California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday.

"Strong relationships and a sense of connection are essential to our health and well-being," said Kim Johnson, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. "When people feel isolated or disconnected from their communities, the impacts can reach far beyond loneliness and affect their physical health, mental health and quality of life. California's Social Health Council is helping us better understand those connections and identify practical ways to strengthen belonging, connection and community so more Californians and beyond have the opportunity to live healthier, fuller lives."

One in six people worldwide experiences loneliness, with young people among those most affected, and loneliness is associated with approximately 870,000 deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization has identified social connection as a critical component of health and well-being, alongside physical and mental health. Its Commission on Social Connection has called for greater investment in the social infrastructure, policies, and community-level solutions that help people connect and belong.

In August 2026, the First Partner, alongside co-chairs California Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Johnson and GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday, established California's first-ever Social Health Council. The Council's work will advance social connection as a public health priority and develop a roadmap for strengthening belonging across California.

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