Spring updates

Walk the Talk

On Sunday May 19th we took part in the annual Walk the Talk: Health for All challenge hosted by the World Health Organization to promote the importance of physical and mental health as part of a healthy and sustainable future. Over attended the Walk. The First Lady of Kenya, H.E. Mrs Margaret Kenyatta, attended the event along with mental health advocates such as Cynthia Germanotta, co-founder of Born This Way Foundation, and celebrities like music star Korede Bello. “I believe mental health is so valuable a human commodity that it must be invested in and nurtured,” said Korede Bello, who is a supporter of the United for Global Mental Health organization.

Speak Your Mind Campaign

In the evening we attended the Walk the Talk reception where we heard guest speakers from around the world discuss what is needed for change and how mental health can be improved for all. Both Cynthia Germanotta and Korede Bello delivered touching speeches on their personal experiences related to mental health. At the reception we also witnessed the launch of the Speak Your Mind Campaign led by United Global Mental Health. Speak Your Mind is a civil society, country led, but globally united campaign that calls on world leaders to invest in, educate, and empower people suffering from mental health issues to seek the resources they need. One of the major goals of the campaign is to fight for a world where mental health is respected as an essential component of human health. Individuals will be empowered to speak their minds, giving voice to mental health conditions and emphasizing the need to create inclusive mental health systems.

We invite you to support the Speak Your Mind Campaign. Sign up and pledge your support at www.gospeakyourmind.org
You can learn more about the campaign by visiting @gospeakyourmind

World Health Assembly – Technical Briefing on Mental Health

Only a few days later on May 22nd we attended one of the six Technical Briefings at the 72nd World Health Assembly specifically focus on Mental Health. Dr. Tedros, WHO Director General, opened the briefing mentioning that there is “no health without mental health.” Several important announcements were made including the launch of a new special initiative for mental health by the World Health Organization and that France will host the 2020 Ministerial Summit for Mental Health. During the briefing The Queen of Belgium, the Swiss development agency, and the Minister for Health of Peru, among others delivered speeches. Additional interventions were made by Canada, Thailand, and Lebanon while non-state actors such as Save the Children, International Council of Nurses, and the Global Health Council highlighted mental health in their official statements.

You can watch the full video here.