“Creating hope through action”
Suicide is a major public health problem with considerable social, emotional and economic consequences. It is estimated that there are currently more than 700,000 suicides per year worldwide, and we know that each suicide profoundly affects many more people.
“Creating hope through action” is the triennial theme of World Suicide Prevention Day from 2021 to 2023. This theme constitutes a powerful call to action and reminds us that there is an alternative to suicide and that, through our actions, we can encourage hope and strengthen prevention.
By creating hope through action, we can signal to people who are having suicidal thoughts that there is hope and that we care about them and want to support them. It also suggests that our actions, no matter how small, can provide hope to those who are struggling.
Finally, it recalls that suicide prevention is a public health priority and that urgent action is needed to ensure a reduction in suicide mortality rates. WHO will continue to work with partners to help countries take concrete steps in this direction.
World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) was created in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). September 10 each year aims to draw attention to this problem, reduce stigma and raise awareness among organizations, governments and the public, sending a singular message that suicides are preventable.
