“Let’s TALK & Walk 2025” - A National Call to Break the Silence on Mental Health

The programme will be held on October 10, 2025 – World Mental Health Day

Walks will begin from multiple starting points. Each walk will bring together students, community members, and partners, converging at central locations to share stories

The CCC Foundation, in collaboration with the 1333 Crisis Support Line, today announced “Let’s TALK &Walk 2025”, a national awareness and engagement initiative scheduled to take place on World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2025.   

This event is designed to spark open conversations about mental health, reduce stigma, and encourage resilience among young people across Sri Lanka. Walks will be held in several districts nationwide, creating a visible and collective call for change.   

Mental health challenges among Sri Lanka’s youth remain a pressing issue as in the year 2022, 295 children and young people died by committing suicide — nearly one every day. Some 85 were aged between 8 and 16. while 210 were aged between 17 and 20. Nearly 1 in 4 adolescents show signs of clinical depression, 30% of youth report feeling chronically lonely, 60% of students face significant psychological distress.   

 “These are not just numbers,” Jetha Devapura, Founder of CCC Foundation said. “They represent sons, daughters, classmates, and friends. Let’s TALK & Walk is about showing them they are “Seen, Heard and Valued – and that no one should have to struggle alone.” he added.   

Walks will begin from multiple starting points. Each walk will bring together students, community members, and partners, converging at central locations to share stories, reflections, and messages of support.   

The programme will be held on October 10, 2025 – World Mental Health Day.   

Participants are expected in each district for community walks, story-sharing, awareness sessions, and media engagement   

Participants will be encouraged to record personal reflections on why they joined the walk, what mental health means to them, and the challenges they see in accessing support. By capturing these authentic voices, the initiative aims to normalize conversations around mental wellbeing, highlight early warning signs, and emphasize the importance of seeking help before issues become critical. These stories will be collected and shared nationally to amplify diverse perspectives and build a culture where prevention and early intervention are at the heart of mental health awareness.   

This year’s initiative is the pilot of a larger vision. The aim is to ignite small walks across regions that will grow into a national movement in future years — expanding awareness, increasing engagement, and strengthening community resilience.   

Let’s TALK and Walk is more than a one-day event — it is the beginning of a movement,” said Devapura. “The more we walk and talk in our communities, the greater the awareness, and the stronger the hope for the future of mental health in Sri Lanka. Why? Because everyone wants to be ‘Seen, Heard and Valued”