On October 11, 2024, the Department of Psychology at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), in collaboration with various 17 mental health organizations including Cambodia Red Cross and TPO Cambodia, EMDR Cambodia Association, Caritas-CCAMH, Sunrise Mental Clinic, Louvain Cooperation (LC), Hagar International Foundation, Hema International School, Kundalini Yoga Cambodia, Seeding of Hope Community Mental Health, King Kids School, Raksakoma Organization, Kid Education, Growing Special Education School, Unique Child Development Clinic, Garden of Life, CTRO, and Sombok Psychology organized the 9th World Mental Health Day (WMHD). The event attracted 1,520 participants, including RUPP leaders, NGO professionals/staff, and students from RUPP and other institutions.
The aims of the 9th World Mental Health Day are:
- To raise awareness of mental health issues among Cambodian adolescents, to mobilize efforts in support of mental health and also to reduce stigma about mental health problems.
- To provide an opportunity for institutions and organizations working on mental health issues to show their works to participants, so that participants learn where to get mental health services if needed.
RUPP’s WMHD event in Cambodia focuses on raising mental health awareness, especially for youth. It features expert talks in the big hall, and other six separated rooms for activities such as mini-counseling sessions, psycho-education, poster presentations, yoga, mindfulness exercises, art therapy, and life skills workshops. Students and the public were welcome to participate throughout the day. The topics for expert talks include university students’ mental health promotion, mental health illness treatment by medication, understanding mental health well-being, mental health promotion among young people, traumatization treatment by modern technology, mental health promotion in micro, meso and macro levels and taking care mental health via Buddhism theories
