World Mental Health Day (WMHD)

Mark 10 October in your diaries.

WMHD is an annual international event that aims to celebrate and promote mental health. WMHD has been well established in Australia since 1992. The Day is internationally coordinated by the World Federation for Mental Health and co-sponsored by the World Health Organisation, a specialised agency of the United Nations.

In Australia, WMHD is held during National Mental Health Week (NMHW runs from 7-13 October), which is promoted by the relevant peak mental health organisations and other organisations in each State/Territory.

This year’s theme for WMHD is Transcultural Mental Health: The Impact Of Culture On Mental Health.

Understanding a person within their cultural context is essential to quality mental health care. Events such as WMHD are crucial in raising awareness about mental health issues, promoting mental health, preventing mental illness, and combating stigma, myths and discrimination.

Given Australia’s rich and diverse history and demographic composition, we are in a unique position to use WMHD 2007 to celebrate and promote our cultural diversity and the importance of putting mental health into a cultural context in order to better understand the experiences of those with a mental illness.

WMHD 2007 will be a day to celebrate and promote Australia’s culturally diverse communities as well as highlight the true stories of people from CALD backgrounds living with a mental illness.

For further information go to www.wfmh.org and www.mhca.org.au