05/12/2025
The recently concluded international conference, ‘Fresh Perspectives on Su***de Prevention & Mental Health’, hosted by Connecting Trust, was a success owing to the wholehearted participation of students, NGOs, mental health professionals, volunteers, and social workers from across India. Esteemed mental health professionals from national and international levels were part of the conference as speakers, facilitators and panellists.
On November 29, Raj Mariwala, Director of Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI), delivered the keynote address. They spoke about various challenges and aspects of su***de prevention work including the need for addressing the deeper systemic roots. They also emphasised intersectionality and inter-sectorality in the work.
Raj Mariwala said, “If we are to undertake comprehensive su***de prevention efforts, we need to move beyond acute and biomedical expert-led approaches, and instead to community work that is contextual and based on lived experience.”
On November 30, Dr Aruna Jha, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Wisconsin, delivered the keynote address. She primarily highlighted trends in youth su***de, related issues, phenomenon of suicidality, and the crisis situations observed among Asian students settled in the US.
Both the keynote addresses received a great response from the audience, that was forthcoming with their reflections, questions, and experiences.
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