A festival on mental health and wellbeing – Nitkellem – is to be held this Friday at Fort St Elmo on the occasion of World Mental Health Day
Its purpose is the promotion of greater awareness and understanding of mental health and wellbeing.
The event will be held by the government in collaboration with Richmond Foundation, SOS Malta, Dar Kenn għal Saħħtek, Special Olympics Malta, actress Simone Spiteri and swimmer Neil Agius.
Lydia Abela, wife of the prime minister, is leading the initiative.
Fort St Elmo will be transformed into ‘a village of serenity,’ offering space for reflection as well as dialogue against stigma and in favour of practical tools for better wellbeing.
The government said that between 9am and noon, an interactive journey will be held for students, turning their thoughts and emotions into words, sounds and stories.
Informal discussions will follow until 3pm, focusing on the impact of relationships, art and culture, and food on mental health. At 3pm, swimmer Neil Agius will lead a session that teaches valuable skills for both personal and professional life. All the activities are open to the public.
A national conference on mental health and wellbeing kicks off at 5pm. Professionals, activists and experts in the field will share experiences and ideas for the way forward.
At 8pm Kelma Kelma Nota Nota will present a concert titled ‘Tesaġerax! Riċetta għal Ħajja Aħjar’, an original production delivering a strong message in favour of a more resilient and compassionate society. Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/Tesaġerax, and all proceeds will go towards the Richmond Foundation.