Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya held an informal dialogue with young people on mental health and wellbeing at De Saram House, Colombo, on 11 October, to mark World Mental Health Day.
The event was organised by UNICEF Sri Lanka and MHPSS.net with the Youth Advisory Network. It brought together people aged 18 to 24 to discuss the mental health challenges young people face in Sri Lanka.
Participants told the Prime Minister about pressures on their wellbeing, barriers to seeking support and the need for safe, supportive environments.
They also introduced her to “On My Mind”, a podcast series adapted into Sinhala and Tamil with the involvement of young people, aimed at encouraging open discussion and giving access to mental health resources.
The discussion also covered youth leadership in mental health awareness and ways to strengthen support systems in schools, families and communities.
UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka Emma Brigham and representatives of MHPSS.net also took part.
