World Mental Health Day 2026 "Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change"
This October, the United Nations joins the global community in marking World Mental Health Day. This year¡¯s theme: ¡°Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change¡± highlights the importance of listening to the experiences of people living with mental health conditions and ensuring their voices help shape policies, support services, and workplace practices.
At the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, we recognize that listening to and learning from lived experiences is essential to creating a mentally healthy, supportive, and resilient workforce. Creating opportunities for personnel to feel heard and supported contributes to enhanced well-being, strengthens trust and connection, and helps build a healthy and sustainable workplace.
For more information about how to get involved please see:
Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres' message
On this year¡¯s World Mental Health Day, we reaffirm the expertise and leadership of people with lived experience of mental health challenges.
This year¡¯s theme ¡ª ¡°Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change¡± ¡ª reflects the fact that people are too often excluded from decisions about their own lives. Yet their insights are essential to shaping effective services and policies.
This is particularly true for young people facing economic uncertainty, climate anxiety and online harms, and for people of all ages affected by conflict and humanitarian crises, where disrupted services compound distress.
It also matters where care is received. Right now, over 80 per cent of countries provide mental health services in psychiatric hospitals. But people with lived experience frequently wish to recover in their homes and communities.
All patients have the right to access housing, education, work and social support in a context where evidence shows they are more likely to heal. I call on governments everywhere to replace exclusion with partnership, and invest in community-centred care.
On this day, and every day, let us reaffirm our commitment to mental health, remove stigma and build systems rooted in dignity and rights for all.
On this day, and every day, let us reaffirm our commitment to mental health, remove stigma and build systems rooted in dignity and rights for all."
Ant¨®nio Guterres
World Mental Health Day 2026 ¡ª video introduction
World Mental Health Day 2025 "Access to Services-Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies"
This year¡¯s World Mental Health Day theme, ¡°Access to services ¨C mental health in catastrophes and emergencies,¡± highlights the importance of safeguarding the mental health of both the communities we serve and colleagues who deliver this valuable work in times of crisis.
At the United Nations, events and activities are organized each year during the month of October to promote the importance of mental health and well-being for our personnel.
For more information about how to get involved please see:
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ personnel work under immense pressure, often in high-risk settings. Their resilience and dedication are at the heart of the Organization¡¯s ability to deliver.
This year has been especially challenging, whether we serve in crisis zones or not. Geopolitical turmoil has brought more emergencies, more financial strain, and more hostility directed towards the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ itself. At the same time, internal changes, including those linked to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ80 initiative, have added to stress and uncertainty.
It is vital we remain committed to one another ¨C and to mental health. Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System Mental Health and Well-being Strategy aims to break down stigma and build a supportive workplace. It calls on leaders, in particular, to foster trust and create psychological safety.
I wish we had the resources to do much more, and help affected colleagues adapt to these unprecedented circumstances. In the meantime, we will do everything the financial situation allows.
I encourage each one of you to engage with the resources available, speak with your managers and peer supporters, and reach out when you need help.
You are never alone.
On this World Mental Health Day, let us remember: caring for ourselves and for each other is the first step in caring for the world we serve.
I encourage each one of you to engage with the resources available, speak with your managers and peer supporters, and reach out when you need help."
Ant¨®nio Guterres
World Mental Health Day 2025 ¡ª video introduction
October 10 is globally recognised as World Mental Health Day by the World Federation for Mental Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts to support those affected worldwide.
At the United Nations, events and activities are organized each year on World Mental Health Day and throughout the month of October to encourage meaningful conversations and encourage ongoing action to foster safe and healthy working environments across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system.
World Mental Health Day 2024 "Mental Health at Work"
World Mental Health Day takes place every year on October 10 to spotlight mental health around the world, raise awareness of mental health issues and encourage efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues. The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) announced the theme for World Mental Health Day 2024, ¡®Mental Health at Work¡¯.
At the United Nations, events and activities are organized each year during the month of October to promote the importance of mental health and well-being for our personnel.
Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres's message
Safe and healthy working environments are essential to mental wellbeing.
At the United Nations, our personnel work tirelessly on the world¡¯s most pressing challenges. Many colleagues operate under high pressure ¨C including in high-risk environments, often far from their family and country of origin.
This can take a toll on our mental health. We must remember that mental health is not only a personal struggle but also a shared responsibility.
I encourage you to reach out to colleagues and seek help whenever needed. We must break the stigma, foster an open and supportive environment and use every resource available.
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System Mental Health and Well-being Strategy for 2024 and beyond offers effective tools to prevent mental health risks; protect and promote mental health at work; and support workers with mental health conditions.
As we care for ourselves and our colleagues, we enhance our ability to care for the world and deliver on our vital work.
On World Mental Health Day and every day, let us reaffirm our commitment to mental health and build a more inclusive, resilient and compassionate workplace for all.
We must remember that mental health is not only a personal struggle but also a shared responsibility."
Ant¨®nio Guterres
2024 World Mental Health Day: Let's talk about Family Support initiatives
This World Mental Health Day, focused on mental health at work, we discussed some of the best Family Support initiatives and approaches across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System. The event was organized by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System Mental Health Strategy Team.
2024 World Mental Health Month: Focus on psychosocial risks
As part of continued efforts to highlight the vital connection between mental health and work, we spoke about the best psychosocial risks initiatives and approaches across the United Nations System. The event was hosted by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System Mental Health Strategy Team.
At a glance: The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System Mental Health and Well-being Strategy for 2024 and beyond
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System Mental Health and Well-being Strategy for 2024 and beyond is designed to assist the United Nations in creating a working environment that is conducive to good mental health and that ensures that support is available when it is needed.
The Strategy provides a road map for creating an inclusive, sustainable work environment where mental health and well-being are embedded in the organizational culture and systems.
The Strategy calls on Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ organizations, teams and individuals to step up efforts to:
Prevent risks to mental health at work.
Promote well-being and protecting mental health at work.
Support personnel with mental health conditions.
When implementing the Strategy, it is important to consider the following:
Everyone has a role to play.
It is not one size fits all.
System-wide coordination and support.
Integrating mental health and well-being into policies and practices.
Leadership support is crucial.
The role of managers is pivotal.
Data-informed decision-making.
Taking action to support mental health and well-being is possible.
World Mental Health Day 2023 "Let¡¯s talk about mental health"
World Mental Health Day takes place every year on October 10 to spotlight mental health around the world, raise awareness of mental health issues and encourage efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues. The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) announced the theme for World Mental Health Day 2023, ¡®mental health is a universal human right¡¯.
At the United Nations, events and activities are organized each year during the month of October to promote the importance of mental health and well-being for our personnel.
For more information about how to get involved please see:
On October 10th, to commemorate World Mental Health Day 2023, Therese Fitzpatrick, the Global Lead for the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System Workplace Mental Health and Well-being Strategy, hosted a panel discussion with experts and trailblazers in workplace mental health. The discussion touched upon the latest research and good practice, the latest developments within the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, and plans for 2024 and beyond.
World Mental Health Day 2022 "Make mental health for all a global priority"
World Mental Health Day is marked every year on October 10 to raise awareness about mental health around the world and to mobilize efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues. Every year since 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) has organized a global campaign for World Mental Health Day. The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) announced the theme for World Mental Health Day 2022, which is ¡®Make mental health for all a global priority¡±.
At the United Nations, events and activities are organized each year during the month of October to promote the importance of mental health and well-being for our personnel.
For more information about how to get involved please see:
World Mental Health Day 2022 panel discussion on the theme ¡®make mental health a global priority for all¡¯
On 10 October 2022, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System Mental Health and Well-being Strategy Team hosted a panel discussion on the importance of creating a healthy workplace to mark World Mental Health Day. The event opened with a message from the Secretary-General that ¡°investing in mental well-being means investing in healthy and prosperous communities¡±.
World Mental Health Day 2021
Toolkit for Organizations
World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on 10 October. On this day and throughout the month of October, the Mental Health Strategy Team and system-wide partners will carry out a series of events and activities focused on this year¡¯s theme, ¡°Mental Health in an Unequal World¡¯.
Working alongside system-wide partners, staff organizations and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ taskforces, the overall objective is to raise awareness and launch a call for action to protect Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ populations at risk of poor mental health and unequal access to mental healthcare.
The Mental Health Strategy Team has composed a toolkit with preparation material to assist Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Organizations, duty stations and teams to take action during World Mental Health Month.
All communication material for WMHD2021 can be found in our .
Secretary-General's message
Three years since the launch of our United Nations system Workplace Mental Health and Well-being Strategy, the well-being and mental health of our personnel remains a priority for me personally, and for all the senior management team at the United Nations.
The past 18 months have tested the resilience of each and every one of us.
World Mental Health Day on 10 October is an opportunity to look at the progress we have made, consider what more we can do, and recommit to our goals of providing a healthy workplace for all at the United Nations, ending stigma related to mental health within our Organization, and ensuring that all our personnel get adequate mental health support when they need it.
This year¡¯s theme for World Mental Health Day is ¡°Mental Health in an Unequal World¡±.
With that in mind, we need to raise awareness of inequalities within our own workplace and ensure that we protect our colleagues who are at higher risk of poor mental health, or who may have reduced access to treatment.
We have now developed resources around workplace mental health and well-being that are available for all personnel and in all Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ languages. I am pleased to report that an online training specifically targeted at leaders and managers will be launched this month.
I encourage all personnel to take part in this month¡¯s campaign, and to start conversations with your colleagues and directors around mental health and wellbeing.
Ant¨®nio Guterres
We need to raise awareness of inequalities within our own workplace and ensure that we protect our colleagues who are at higher risk of poor mental health, or who may have reduced access to treatment.
Ant¨®nio Guterres
Video recordings
Supporting good mental health in the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System
Ways to protect our mental health in the workplace.
Mental Health and Racial Discrimination
The effects that racial discrimination has on mental health and well-being, how to combat the racial discrimination.
Welcome and Support Personnel with a Mental Health Condition
Practical tips to support personnel when they experience a mental health condition, encouraging reach out early for help and reducing stigma.
World Mental Health Day 2020
World Mental Health Month aims to address mental health issues in an empathetic way, with a unifying voice, helping everyone to feel hopeful by empowering everyone to take action and to create lasting change. World Mental Health Day 2020 theme was ¡°Mental Health for all. Greater Investment ¨C Greater Access. Everyone, everywhere.¡±
Throughout October 2020, panel discussions and activities were organized to increase awareness about workplace mental health. Colleagues engaged in panel discussions creating a safe space to discuss topics on mental health, share personal stories, participate to open conversations, and support each other. Weekly events were dedicated to these themes:
Improving Mental Health throughout the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System: Our workplaces and workplace culture impacts our health and wellbeing.
Supporting and Welcoming Personnel with Mental Health Conditions: We must reduce any stigma and discrimination that Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ personnel may experience due to mental health.
Nurturing Your Own Mental Health and Wellbeing: It is now even more important than ever to take steps to protect our mental health.
Ensuring Access for All: Some population groups are more at risk and less likely to get help.
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