Mind over matter

(From left) Artwork by artist Lakshmi Ramesh that will be part of one of the exhibitions; Artwork by artist Sanjana Singh

It's no secret that the pandemic brought with it a global mental health crisis that's been tough for most to navigate through. For NGO Sangath, it was all the more reason to promote a healthy conversation around the topic. To mark World Suicide Prevention Day, through their It's Okay To Talk project, the NGO will host a two day-long series that will include virtual mental health workshops, talks and art exhibitions to draw attention towards suicide prevention and mental health support. "Suicide prevention is not completely related to mental health but it sits quite adjacent to it. Prevention might require a number of systemic and social interventions; but a large number of suicides can be prevented if people are given timely access to support," explains Sweta Pal, communications specialist at the Goa-based NGO.

Sweta Pal

Titled the Mann Mela: Hope Through Action Festival, the initiative aims to celebrate the lived experiences of individuals, and highlight how many have found help through tough periods of time. "Artists and speakers who have contributed to our initiative will share their own experiences and talk about how they've found support. It's to help people find similar support and empower them with information, tools and resources on how they can take care of themselves," adds Pal.

Through the art exhibitions, artists can share their interpretations of mental health themes, which will be followed up by workshops that focus on topics like the relationship between mental health and gender, and its impact on access to care available to people. "We hope that young people who tune in can learn things they can use in their lives or to help people in their communities and social circles," she concludes.

On: Today, 10.30 am onwards
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