Oevaru 2026 welcomes submissions from clinicians, researchers, students, public health specialists, policymakers, community stakeholders, and people with lived experience of mental health conditions. 

The conference provides a platform to share research findings, practice-based insights, and visionary ideas to elevate mental health discourse and strengthen systems of care across the Maldives and beyond.

While rooted in the Maldivian context, Oevaru invites voices from around the world to engage in meaningful dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration toward more connected and compassionate mental health systems.

The theme for Oevaru 2026, 'Delving Deep, Weaving Connections’ calls us to engage with the biological, psychological, social, and systemic layers of mental health. It emphasizes the importance of connection within communities, across disciplines, and among institutions. We invite submissions that resonate with this theme and its sub-themes.

CONFERENCE SUBMISSIONS

Submissions are invited under two distinct tracks:

1. Scientific Stream (traditional abstract submissions)
2. Oevaru Salla Stream (Salla pitch submissions).

1. Scientific Stream: Traditional abstract submissions

This track welcomes traditional abstracts based on original research, program evaluations, case studies, or practice-based innovations. Oevaru encourages original submissions but also welcomes previously presented or published work that offers new insights, applications, or reflections.  

For questions about eligibility, please contact Oevaru Scientific Committee at abstract@oevaruconference.mv. 

ABSTRACT TEMPLATE (click here to download)

Guidelines

• Abstracts should not exceed 350 words (excluding title, authors, and conflict of interest declaration). 
• Submissions must be in English. 
• An abstract submission template is available for download and should be used when preparing submissions. 
• Authors may indicate a preference for oral or poster presentation, though final allocations may differ. 
• Accepted abstracts will be allocated as either oral or poster presentations. 
• Authors will receive detailed presentation guidelines closer to the conference.
• Where applicable, approval from the National Research Council (NHRC) or an equivalent ethics committee should be sought early, as this process may take time.

Full paper submissions

Authors are encouraged to submit full papers based on their abstracts to facilitate future publication. 

Accepted abstracts will be published in Oevaru 2026 proceedings. We are in discussion with institutions to create pathways for both national and international publications. 

In the lead-up to the conference, authors will have access to information sessions and writing workshops to support abstract and full paper preparation. Details will be announced through the conference website and social media channels.

Outstanding oral and poster presentations will be recognized during the conference, with special consideration given to full paper submissions.

A full paper submission guideline will be available for download and authors are required to follow this to ensure consistency and ease of review. Figures and tables may be included in the full paper submission.

2. Oevaru Salla Stream: Salla pitch submissions

The Oevaru Salla stream provides an opportunity to showcase innovative and scalable ideas to advance mental health in the Maldivian context, through impactful presentation and advocacy.

Inspired by global public innovation models, it welcomes proposals that explore intersections of technology, community, culture, and emerging challenges such as climate resilience. 

Team Composition 

Interdisciplinary teams (2–5 members, including at least one member with mental health training/experience) are invited to make submissions. 

Submissions Requirements

• A short Salla Concept Note (≤350 words) outlining the issue, idea and impact with 3–5 keywords.
• A Salla Teaser Video, maximum 2 minutes (spoken, visual, animated, dramatized, or phone-recorded).

The concept note should briefly describe the issue, proposed idea, and intended impact. Authors are also asked to include 3–5 relevant keywords. Authors are required to use the Salla concept note template provided on the conference website.

OEVARU SALLA CONCEPT NOTE TEMPLATE (click here to download)

The Salla Teaser Video may be spoken, visual, animated, or dramatized. Submissions recorded using a phone or other accessible formats are welcome, provided the video is engaging, persuasive, and clearly communicates the idea. Submissions should also respect cultural sensitivities and social norms, ensuring content remains appropriate.

Video Specifications

• Format: MP4 (H.264) or MOV 
• Resolution: 1920 × 1080, 9:16 aspect ratio 
• Duration: Maximum 2 minutes (under 500 MB) 
• Requirements: Clear audio, stable framing, adequate lighting, background-noise free 
• Accessibility: Subtitles or captions are encouraged 
• File Name: Letters/numbers only (e.g., MyNameOevaruSalla2026.mp4)
• Upload Access: ‘Anyone with the link can view’ and then submit via the conference website

OEVARU SUBMISSION PROCESS

All submissions must be made through the official conference website oevaruconference.mv at the submissions page. Click on the submit button below to go to the submissions page.

Please ensure that all formatting and guideline requirements are followed carefully to avoid delays in the review process.

Review Process

All submissions will be reviewed by the Scientific Committee, and authors will be informed of the outcome. 

• Scientific Stream abstracts will undergo peer review for clarity, originality, relevance, and scientific rigor. Authors may be asked to revise their submissions before acceptance for oral or poster presentation. 
• Oevaru Salla submissions will be evaluated for relevance, impact, innovation, and feasibility, with selected entries invited to present at the Salla segment of the conference.

For your convenience, a downloadable PDF version of the Oevaru 2026 Submission Guidelines is available below.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINEs pdf (click here to download)

Call for Submissions Open	15 July 2025
Conference Registrations Open	December 2025
Submissions Deadline	11th January 2026
Author Notification Deadline	15 February 2026
Full Paper Submission Deadline	15 April 2026
Conference Days	16–17 May 2026

Contact: For inquiries, please contact: registrar@oevaruconference.mv