World Mental Health Day: The Big Event for Mental Health

On World Mental Health Day, Today, 10 October, the World Health Organization will, for the first time ever, host a global online advocacy event on mental health. At this event—the Big Event for Mental Health—world leaders, mental health experts and celebrity guests will join WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to tell the world what we can all do to improve our mental health and how we can help make sure that quality mental health care is available to everyone who needs it.

During the event, which will be streamed live on major social media channels, you will:

learn how WHO, together with our partners, is helping improve the mental health of people in countries throughout the world;
hear from national and international leaders about why they are making mental health a priority;
hear first-hand why internationally-renowned artists have become mental health advocates and listen to their advice for those who are struggling; and
listen to critically-acclaimed musicians perform some of their most popular music.

In the lead-up to World Mental Health Day and the Big Event, we will invite you to join the campaign, sharing messages, creating posts showing how you invest in your own mental health, and asking your questions of special guests through live Q and A sessions on social media.

Watch the Big Event for Mental Health

Tune in from one of WHO’s social media channels:

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok and Twitch channels

Start time: 10:00 New York, 16:00 Geneva, 19:30 New Delhi

The Event will last approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.

Host and participants

Award-winning journalist, Femi Oke, will host the event. She will be joined by mental health advocates and performers including:

Cynthia Germanotta: President and Co-Founder (with her daughter Lady Gaga) of Born This Way Foundation and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Mental Health
Alisson Becker: goalkeeper for Liverpool Football Club and the Brazilian National Football Team and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Promotion
Natália Loewe Becker: medical doctor andWHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Promotion
Talinda Bennington: widow of Linkin Park lead vocalist Chester Bennington and founding partner of the mental health advocacy organization 320 Changes Direction
Klas Bergling: father of DJ, musician and producer Tim Bergling, aka Avicii, and Co-founder of the Tim Bergling Foundation.
Korede Bello: Founder of the Korede Bello Foundation, mental health advocate, and singer and songwriter from Nigeria
Jonny Benjamin: mental health campaigner, film producer and public speaker

Also participating will be national and international leaders who have championed mental health in their own countries:

Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of the Belgians
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of Republic of Maldives
Epsy Campbell Barr, First Vice-President of Costa Rica
Sigrid Kaag, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, the Netherlands
António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
Peter Sands: Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Muhammad Ali Pate: Global Director, Health, Nutrition and Population, World Bank

Whether you’re concerned about yourself or a loved one, these mental health charities, organisations and support groups can offer expert advice.

Please see this very useful guide about improving mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.