Dear Editor,
World Suicide Prevention Month, September, is once again on the horizon and The Caribbean Voice is urging Caribbean stakeholders to plan candlelight vigils across communities in the Caribbean world, under the theme “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” so as to bring awareness and catalyze activism aimed at suicide prevention. In 2015, under the theme ‘Voices Against Violence’, The Caribbean Voice had launched a candlelight Vigil Campaign that was held annually and that saw over one thousand vigils held in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, and other nations, as well as in the Diaspora. The COVID pandemic brought this campaign to a standstill, but the impact of these vigils suggests that the campaign should once again be organized.
These vigils are another mechanism by which communities bridge all divides as a critical step to create positive change. They foster community collaboration, focus on saving lives and preventing harm, and enhance the process of societal transformation. This vigil campaign is also another step in redressing violence in all its manifestations – human trafficking, suicide, drug and alcohol addiction, domestic, gender, and child abuse, rape, incest, teenage pregnancy, road carnage, dysfunctional relationships, neglect of the elderly, abuse of the mentally and physically challenged and inter-personal violence.
It can also lead to the understanding that empowerment of the individual is a function of communities and, thus, helps to encourage communities to become more self-reliant in seeking to create safe environments. When communities are safe then the nation becomes safe.
Thus, The Caribbean Voice urges NGOs, faith and community-based organizations, sports clubs, youth and women’s groups, political and cultural organizations, government agencies at the national, regional, and local levels, professional and business entities, and all individuals to make Voices Against Violence a truly national effort. Vigils are easy to plan and implement and can include slogans and chants, cultural interludes, prayers short dramatic presentations, survivors speaking out, and anything else that might be deemed appropriate.
While vigils are recommended for World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, they can also be held throughout the month. The Caribbean Voice can list and help promote vigils if info is sent to us – [email protected]. And we can create an online collage of vigils if photos and related info are provided.
As well we suggest the following to mark Suicide Prevention Month.
Light a Candle near a window at 8PM on September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day, to show support for suicide prevention and remember those lost to suicide, an annual initiative of the International Society for Suicide Prevention.
Cycle the Globe, a call for people to show their support for suicide prevention by cycling from September 10 to October 10 and logging in their distances on a specially set up website: https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/CycleAroundtheGlobe2022, an annual initiative of the International Society for Suicide Prevention.
Encourage prevention participation by tweeting and messaging using the hashtag #BE THERE. The following two tweets/messages are suggested to be posted and shared on all social media platforms:
Five minutes of your time can save a life #BE THERE
Suicide prevention is everybody’s business #BE THERE
Urge survivors to speak out via videos posted online, interviews with the media, or at specially organised events.
Annan Boodram
Caribbean Voice
