What is World Mental Health Day? 

Each year, World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October to raise awareness around mental health issues worldwide and mobilize efforts in support of mental health. The day offers an opportunity to talk openly about mental health and the work that needs to be done to ensure people worldwide have access to adequate and affordable treatment and care. World Mental Health Day 2019 is focused on raising awareness around suicide prevention. 

 

What is 40 Seconds of Action and how can you take part? 

Every 40 seconds, someone around the world takes their own life. That’s why, in addition to events and activities taking place on or around 10 October, the World Health Organization and partners are encouraging everyone to take “40 seconds of action” to shed light on and reduce stigma around this important issue. 

40 Seconds of Action is a chance to let people who are suffering know that they are not alone. Activities you can take part in to honor the 40 Seconds of Action include: 

• Initiating a conversation with someone you are worried about

• Sharing a message of hope with someone who is struggling 

• Posting a video message for local or national authorities about the action you would like them to take 

• Signing Speak Your Mind’s global voice petition to tell world leaders that you want more action done on mental health


What is the World Mental Health Day Guide? 

WMHD Guide 2019 is a crowdsourced listing of events in honor of World Mental Health Day, an awareness day organized by the World Federation for Mental Health and supported by the International Association for Suicide Prevention and United for Global Mental Health. We hope this guide will help you navigate events related to World Mental Health Day around the world and join the global community demanding action on mental health. 

While extensive, this guide is by no means exhaustive and relies on your collective knowledge – submit your events here or contact us to update an existing event.

 

Who is behind the World Mental Health Day Guide? 

Global Health Strategies (GHS) uses advocacy, communications and policy analysis to advance issues and power campaigns that improve health and wellbeing around the world. We have offices in New York, New Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Johannesburg, Nairobi and London and support the work of philanthropies, industry, multinational organizations, NGOs and governments, among others. Our work spans some of the world’s most dynamic regions to enable policy innovations, mobilize resources and build political will, engaging global and local audiences to drive change. At the heart of our work is the vision of a world where everyone, no matter where they live, has the chance to live a healthy life.

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