Commemorating World Mental Health Day 2019 through arts
Local musician BaShupi Peforming
The 10th of October is a WHO acknowledged annual calendar event dedicated to commemorating global mental health. This year’s event was held under the theme “mental health promotion and suicide prevention”.
On the 11th of October 2019 the African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI) together with the Youth Friendship Bench (YouFB) held an arts event dubbed THINKFEST in commemoration of World Mental health Day 2019. THINKFEST was held at the Mbare Netball Complex in Mbare, Harare. The event was part of efforts to take mental health into local communities through engaging them utilizing arts.
Play on suicide prevention
The day began with an awareness march, which led onto some educative and informative theatre performances around the theme of mental health promotion and suicide prevention. Three groups participated in the plays to the marvel of the crowd.
Proceedings of the day closed with musical performances by a number of artists who included BaShupi, Chioneso, Jerryman and Claudias. Some of the songs performed by the artists were packaged with mental health messages that served the same goal as with the theatre performances, that is to educate and inform the crowd on mental health and suicide prevention.
Suicide has become a growing global public health concern. According to the WHO, more than 800,000 people die by suicide every year which translates to one suicide every 40 seconds. Presented with such alarming statistics, there is need for collective action to curb suicide and promote mental well-being.