World Suicide Prevention DaySeptember 10th 2018

As with previous years, we can reflect proudly onthe accomplishments of our IASP community on asuccessful 18th World Suicide Prevention Day(WSPD) on 10th September 2018. WSPD continuesto grow and evolve each year, with a staggering 217specific events taking place this year in 62 countriesglobally. The annual Cycle around the Globe eventwas once again a great achievement for our IASPcommunity. Participants from 35 countries cycledalmost 14 times the circumference of the earth,equating to a staggering 557,731.12 km. Thisnewsletter issue is dedicated to the efforts of ourcommunity in arranging and hosting various eventsacross the globe in support of WSPD.

In acknowledgement of the intensive preparationthat goes into coordinating WSPD, I wish to expressmy sincere gratitude to the IASP CentralAdministration Office team who worked earnestly toprepare activities and PR, ensuring the day was asuccess. A special thank you, also, to our IASPNational Representatives who have gone to greateffort to organise a vast range of awareness raisingand educational activities within their countries,many of which are highlighted in this issue.

The support of Twitter in providing a unique WSPDemoji to increase online engagement and spreadawareness of suicide prevention is also highlyappreciated.

This year was the first WSPD with the theme “WorkingTogether to Prevent Suicide.” This theme will beretained for WSPD in 2019 and 2020. This themewas chosen as it highlights the most essentialingredient for effective global suicide prevention-teamwork. We all have a role to play and togetherwe can collectively make a difference as a memberof society, as a family member, as a friend, as acolleague or as a neighbour. While the theme islinked to WSPD, we continue to promotecollaboration and strive to apply this ethos in ourwork throughout the year.

I wish to take this opportunity to make you awarethat registration for the IASP 30th World Congressin Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland in September2019 is now open. Submission of abstracts for oralpresentations, symposia, workshops and posterscan be made using the following link:https://www.iasp2019.com/abstracts.

Professor Murad KhanIASP President

FROM THE PRESIDENT

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World Suicide Prevention Day 2018 Report

WSPD Materials• WSPDbrochuretranslatedinto10languages• CycleAroundtheGlobematerialstranslatedintofivelanguages• Bannerscreatedin70languages• LightaCandlePostcardsin62languages• SuggestedActivitiesPDFguide• WSPDTakeaMinutedocument• WSPD2018Facts&FiguresPDF• WSPD2018Facts&FiguresPowerPointpresentation• WSPD2018PressPresentationPackage• WSPD2018Toolkit• WSPD2018Infographic• WSPDDigitalRibboninseven formats• WSPDButtons,LapelPinsandWristbands

WSPD Activities

IASP.info Activity

Hits - September

2018-4,753,599

2017-4,704,119

2016-3,204,751

2015-4,657,472

Cycle Around the Globe

ParticipatingCountries:35 Circumferenceoftheplanetcycled:13.91 times Totalinkilometers: 557,731.12 km Totalinmiles:346,558.05 mi

Atotalof15IASPmemberorganizations’WSPDWebpagesand217specificactivities,from62 countries,listedonwebsiterepresentingthousandsofactivitiesworldwidethatincludedmanythousandsofpeopleormoreglobally.

IASP Social Media

www.youtube.com/IASPinfo

• 60selectedvideoslistedonIASP’sYouTubeWSPD2018channel• 1,695views

www.facebook.com/IASPinfo

• 32,628 Followers• 35,190Likes

www.facebook.com/events/207736209720753/

• 36.8K PeopleReached• 998 EventResponses

www.twitter.com/IASPinfo

• Twitter WSPD Emojiscreatedin15languages

• 10.2K Followers• 29.2K ProfileViews• 2,011Newfollowers• 1.8 million Impressions• $5,000 giftedforWSPDTwitterpromotion

WSPD Items

WristbandsLapelPinsButtons

Start early to prepare for World Suicide Prevention Day 2019!

Downloads: World Suicide Prevention Day 2019 Suggested Activities https://goo.gl/9CM4qkCycle Around the Globe Info Sheet https://goo.gl/1Z2uLS

https://www.iasp.info/wspd2019/

World Suicide Prevention DaySeptember 10th 2018

Working Together to Prevent Suicide

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REPORTS FROM EVENTSACROSS THE GLOBE 2018

UKIreland

IndiaKenyaFranceTaiwan

Hong KongThe Netherlands

This year, STORM Skills Training CIC was delightedto be 'working together' with Waterside Hotel & LeisureClub, Manchester to host a Cycle Around the Globe event.Throughout the day, members of the gym along withpartners and friends of STORM donated the kilometrescycled in a workout, a spin class or cycling to the gymto Team STORM-Waterside's (#teamstormwaterside) total.

They donated the total to IASP's Cycle Around the Globeto see how many times we can collectively cycle aroundthe globe raising awareness of suicide. Last year's CycleAround the Globe event was a huge success for STORM,not least because of the opportunity it opened up forstarting conversations about suicide.

Tn celebration of World Suicide Prevention Day, TheNational Suicide Research Foundation hosted a lunchtimeseminar on 'The Role of the Media in Suicide Prevention,Suicide Clustering and Contagion' in conjunction withthe School of Public Health, University College Cork.Professor Ella Arensman, Dr Paul Corcoran and Mr NiallMcTernan presented their research followed by aninformative and engaging discussion with panelists fromlocal media, the HSE Communications Team andstakeholders involved in suicide prevention.

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IRELANDWSPD 2018UKWSPD 2018

T

INDIAWSPD 2018

On the evening of September 11, 2018, Green Cyclists Association (ACO),in collaboration with the Lawen Charity Association, traversed the MarivanRoute to the Darwaharan Forest Reserve from the Funeral District of MarivanCounty, Sanandaj province. On this occasion, the Green Coordinators remainedsilent for 5 minutes in order to sympathize with the families of suicide victimsin the field of drug trafficking, commemorating the victims.

The main goal of the Recreational Ashti cycling Association and Lawen charityAssociation is to prevent mortality from road accidents, suicide, and depression,such as seminars, family counselors, bicycle hiking camps, and the sustainabilityof a healthy community with Collective, individual and collective participationand cooperation are the whole community.

1) Lighting candles at 8pm by staff at our hospital Dr.A. V. Baliga Memorial Hospital Udupi at 8pm onSeptember 10th.

2) Talk on working together to prevent suicide at weeklymeeting of rotary club Udupi-Manipal 11/09/2018.

3) Radio talk by Dr. Virupaksha Devaramane oncommunity Radio FM frequency 90.4 Mhz at 6pm on10th September.

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IA

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WSPD events in Udupi, India

AUSTRALIAWSPD 2018

The Brisbane World Suicide Prevention DayAnnual Community Forum, organised by theAustralian Institute for Suicide Research andPrevention (AISRP), included an openingaddress from Queensland Mental HealthCommissioner Ivan Frkovic, as well aspresentations from researchers in the suicideprevention field, from organisations that supportat risk individuals and their families, and frompeople with a personal experience of suicideattempts. World Suicide Prevention Day wasinitiated by former AISRAP director ProfessorEmeritus Diego de Leo.

Event Organiser, Wendy Iverson, said the aimof the forum was to equip the community withthe knowledge to help prevent suicide. “It is acall to action, to raise awareness that every lifeis important, that we care, and to reach out tothose who are in need of help, not just today,but everyday,” Ms Iverson said.

One of the speakers at the event was Dr MarianneWyder, who said she had seen the differencethat stronger communities made to people atrisk of suicide. “If we had a stronger communitythat talked to each other, if you give peopleanother option they will always take that, theyjust can't see that other option at that point intime, and so as a community we can start, evensometimes it's just talking,” Dr Wyder said. “It'sreally important to raise a wide awareness aroundsuicide, and this is a great day to do that,” shesaid.

Griffith University suicidology lecturer JacintaHawgood also spoke at the event about herresearch into the stigma that surrounds suicide.Ms Hawgood said in addition to bringingattention to the issue of suicide, the forumshowed how everyone could play an importantrole in suicide prevention.

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“World Suicide Prevention Day is critically important to bring globalrecognition to the importance of preventing suicide, saving lives,and essentially injecting hope where there is little,” she said.

Ms Hawgood said she hoped attendees gained the knowledgeto help them be comfortable to both ask for help and to offer helpto others. “I hope that our attendees take some evidence-basedmessages of hope away, to [help them] reach out to others,” shesaid. “You don't need to be a clinical specialist to listen, you justneed to be compassionate, forget what others think of you whenyou ask or offer help, and imagine for one second that because ofyou, someone's life was turned around.”

KENYAWSPD 2018

Befrienders KenyaAPPRECIATIONBefrienders Kenya would like to thank Ministryof Health (MOH), Mental Health department forinviting Befrienders Kenya to be a part of thenational event marking the World SuicidePrevention Day 2017. We also acknowledge Mindyour Mind and Ryculture Health and socialinnovation who invited us to be part of their Paneldiscussions as they marked the World SuicidePrevention day. Our gratitude also goes to all thefacilitators for having accepted the invitation togive informative and educative talks on the topicsof the day during the marking of the seventh WorldSuicide Prevention day by Befrienders Kenya.

Special appreciation goes to InternationalAssociation for Suicide Prevention (IASP) for theircontribution on the day and all the participatingorganizations who contributed in various waysincluding giving of their time in organizing theevents.

INTRODUCTIONThe World Suicide Prevention day was initiatedin 2003 by IASP supported by World HealthOrganization and is held every year worldwide.

Befrienders Kenya has marked the event for thepast six years through different forums to createawareness. Last year Befrienders Kenya inpartnership with the Ministry of Health markedthe day by creating awareness on Suicide andSuicide Prevention in schools, colleges andchurches. This year Befrienders Kenya was partof the Ministry of Health World Suicide PreventionDay National event which was held on 10thSeptember 2018 at Embu Level 5 Hospital inEmbu County.

Befrienders Kenya was also part of a World SuicidePrevention day Mental Health Panel Discussionwhich comprised of specialists in the field ofMental Health organized by of Jomo KenyattaUniversity Mind your Mind and Ryculture Healthand social innovation of Agriculture and Technology(JKUAT) with the aim of engaging the institutionsstudents who are to a greater extent affected withtheissue of suicide and suicidal thoughts.

Befrienders Kenya's event for the WSPD was heldon 22nd September 2017 and the venue was atLuther Plaza, Nairobi County.

This year's theme: Working Together to PreventSuicide ran through all the events and the IASPPresident's message was shared in both events.

World Suicide Prevention DayMinistry of Health Event 2018Participants

The event brought together various healthprofessionals: medical students, service providers,department of mental health, area administration,media, among other stakeholders.

FacilitatorsThe speakers of the day came from variousorganizations that are stakeholders in the issueof Suicide and Mental Health. Among them wasMs. Merab Mulindi of Befrienders Kenya who isalso the national representative of the IASP andAfrica Regional Coordinator for BefriendersWorldwide.

ProgramThe event had various activities which includeda procession, speeches and entertainments (skits,songs).

Highlights of the dayThe event featured a procession which raisedawareness on the event and the day as participantsclad in the colorful yellow T-shirts marched to thevenue carrying a banner indicating the day.

Ms Merab Mulindi delivered the message of theIASP President called on families, communities,healthcare professionals and other professionalsto collaborate and work together to Prevent Suicidehence overcoming the challenge brought aboutby the diversity in the causes of suicide.

The Principal Secretary for Health, Eng. PeterTum through a representative Senior DeputyDirector Medical Services, Dr. Patric Amoth notedsuicide is a serious public health problem thatneeds to be tackled by all stakeholders andtherefore urged the community members to takeresponsibility, look out for persons with suicidalbehavior, engage them and link them to treatmentand follow-up care, fight stigma and support thosebereaved by suicide.

He said that Universal Health Care (UHC) hasprovided a platform to advance Mental Healthservices and hence through this the Ministry shallimprove access to mental health services to ensureearly identification and effective management ofmental disorders and harmful use of alcohol andother substances.

The Embu County governor Martin Wamboracalled for the society to work together to ensurestigmatization of Suicide as well as ensuringmental wellbeing of individuals by raisingawareness, sentiments that were backed by otherspeakers.

The event saw Befrienders Kenya's Merab Mulinditogether with the Director of Mental Health Dr.Simon Njuguna presents a ribbon to the Embu

REPORT ON THE WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY 2018 ACTIVITIESTHEME: Working together to prevent suicide. VENUE: Embu Level 5 Hospital, Embu county JomoKenyatta University, Nairobi County. Luther Plaza, Nairobi County. DATE: 10th/14th/22nd September 2018.

Befrienders

Kenya

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KENYAWSPD 2018

governor as well as lead the participants in acandle lighting ceremony.

Ryculture Limited (JKUAT) MentalHealth Panel Discussion.ParticipantsThe event brought together students from JomoKenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology(JKUAT).

PanelistsThe panelists comprised of specialists in MentalHealth from various organizations that arestakeholders in the field of suicide and mentalhealth. Among them was Hiram Chomba avolunteer counselor at Befrienders Kenya, GraceKinuthia of Jitukuze, Monica Otiende (JKUAT),Nancy Ngathe, Kenyatta National Hospital YouthCenter and others.

ProgramThe event featured exhibitions from organizations,Art show case, panel discussions on Suicide andMental Health from a clinical angle, Testimonialsand a panel discussion on management of Suicideand support systems for survivors and thosebereaved by suicide.

Highlight of the event• The participants were taken through the suicidestatistics which according to WHO data indicatesin Kenya about 1408 people die by suicide annuallytranslating to four deaths by Suicide daily.

• There were over whelming feedback from theaudience concerning matters Suicide and MentalHealth. Discussions by panelists and audiencebrought out the fact that young people aroundaffected age are mostly at a point when they arestriving to discover and shape their lives. Accordingto the discussions this is associated with lots ofpressure to make it in life.

• It was agreed that it is the role of the societyand everybody to demystify any gender stereotypesand accept men as normal humans with emotionsas any other person.

• It was agreed that Suicide Prevention can beachieved by all stakeholders collaborating andworking together towards a common goal.Befrienders Kenya Marks the 7th World SuicidePrevention Day in Kenya.

Participants

This year's event brought together students,Community Based Organizations, Corporate entity,Ministry of Health, teachers, Community HealthWorkers, media and service providers within thefield of health. The participants came from Kiambuand Nairobi Counties.

Program

The event featured introduction to the day andtheme for 2018, message from the IASP president,a candle lighting ceremony, Video by PatriciaEsteve and presentations. The event was chairedby Hiram Chomba (Befrienders Kenya).

Highlights from the events of theday at Luther Plaza, Nairobi County

• The participants were introduced to the daywith the highlight of the day being the theme,which was well presented through the messagefrom the IASP President by Merab Mulindi whoemphasized on the need to adopting multileveland cohesive approaches to prevention effortsrepresenting integration within and betweendisciplines, organizations, agencies, professionals,communities and the general public.

• The event which brought together participantsfrom various institutions and organizations sawvarious speakers' emphasize on the importanceof the theme.

• Participants took part in the traditional candlelighting ceremony where those that died through

suicide, suicide survivors and those bereavedthrough suicide are remembered.

• There were presentations from BefriendersKenya who shared the WHO suicide statistic inKenya emphasizing on the need for communities,individuals and organizations to work together toprevent suicide. There was also a personal storyfrom a bereaved who admitted he had lost hisdaughter through Suicide and this had reallyaffected him in some way but to him it was an eyeopener as he can now join forces with likemindedindividuals in raising awareness on SuicidePrevention.

• The participants were shown a video “OUT OFTHIS LIFE” by Patricia Esteve stories from survivorsand bereaved.

Media/ Press and PublicityBefrienders Kenya took part in several mediainterviews; Radio, Television, Newspaper and thesocial media with the aim of publicizing the WorldSuicide Prevention Day. The media houses include:

• Nation Newspaper (Nation Media) on 11thSeptember 2018

• KBC English service radio on 13th September2018

• Focus TV on 14th September 2018

• Milele FM (Radio Africa) on 25th September2018

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FRANCEWSPD 2018

Trio clockwise from left: Michel Debout past president GEPS and Iasp France natrepat the time Jacques Vedrinne and myself both Founding President of GEPS 1969

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Pictures from the 50th Congress of the Groupement D'Etudes et de Prevention du Suicide (GEPS),in Paris, France on 10th September 2018

TAIWANWSPD 2018

Taiwanese Society of Suicidology collectivelycycled a massive 275,861 kms this year for theCycle around the Globe Suicide Prevention Awareness event!

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HONG KONGWSPD 2018

The HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (CSRP) of the

University Of Hong Kong (HKU) held a press conference on September

10 (Monday) with the theme “Working Together to Prevent Suicide”.

Professor Paul YIP Siu-fai, Director of the Centre, presented the latest

suicide statistics for Hong Kong and explain the findings at the conference.

CSRP has been working closely with popular YouTubers to co-create

videos on suicide prevention. We hope to connect the vulnerable youth

through social media, and raise awareness of the general public, especially

the youth on the importance of mental health and suicide prevention. It

is our honor to have had Asha Cuthbert (YouTube channel: ASHA ETC),

one of the YouTubers of the project, to share her thoughts and feelings

about the collaborative suicide prevention project.

About HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (CSRP), HKU

Founded in 2002, the CSRP has established its reputation in suicide

research and prevention worldwide and extended its research scope to

well-being of individuals as well as the whole society. CSRP believes in

that empirical research would optimize practices and ultimately contribute

to the improvement of a society.

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“Working Together to Prevent Suicide” 2018World Suicide Prevention Day Press Conference

THE NETHERLANDSWSPD 2018

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The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) has

launched for several years "World Suicide Prevention Day" which

is celebrated on September 10th. This year the theme for WSPD

was "Working together on suicide prevention". WSPD is also widely

celebrated the last years in the Netherlands.

That is why Remco de Winter, psychiatrist in emergency psychiatry,

researcher in suicide prevention and emergency psychiatry and

Dutch representative for the IASP, took again the initiative together

with staff members Riet Lochy and Edith Gram to organize a Dutch

convention in the Louis Hartlooper complex in Utrecht in the form

of a symposium: "Working together on suicide prevention". This

topic proved to be very relevant, not only were there more participants

than the set 150, but the lectures excelled in diversity, quality and

inspiration.

There were excellent Dutch scientists relatives and experientialexperts, which gave free of charge several short pitches, they were

very stimulating and inspiring. The morning part ended with a

moving musical theater performance. In the afternoon, participants

could choose from a varied program of 12 workshops spread in

two rounds.

We look back at a very successful day! As example one of the

participants stated: "I have learned more on this day than I have in

a three-day congress abroad".

Also was stated that the profit from the convention would be gifted

to the IASP. So we are very proud that we can donate in the end the

IASP an amount of 10.259,11 euro's!

Dutch WSPD