OCTOBER 10TH – World mental health day

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, the International Aid Network IAN held several activities and events.
The celebration of this important date began with a creative workshop on the topic of mental health, where the beneficiaries, refugees from North and Central Africa, from Cuba and from the countries of the former Yugoslavia, had the opportunity to express their personal strengths through drawings, thus creating their ” tree of strength” which represents them.

October 10, World Mental Health Day, was marked by a Chat cafe, organized in the “Sounds of the heart” for helpers, volunteers and partner organizations. The chat cafe had three chat rooms that revealed three topics related to mental health – trauma, suicide and burn-out syndrome. By accessing the rooms, the participants had the opportunity to further educate themselves on these topics through an open conversation with psychotherapists. The event was closed by the creation of a large group in which all present participated, sharing their experiences and knowledge about psychotherapy as a way of caring for mental health and personal development.

The celebration of World Mental Health Day ended on October 11, with a workshop with children housed in the Institute for the Education of Children and Youth, the department for unaccompanied foreign minors. With sweets, drawing and story, children learned how to relax, enjoy and spend quality time. Through team work, during the workshop, a “Tree of Strength” was made, which symbolized the fruits of happiness as a recipe for maintaining mental health – a cheerful spirit, music, walking, kindness, sports and sleep.