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BW News The Newsletter of Befrienders Worldwide www.befrienders.org November 2019 No. 2 Dear Friends & Colleagues, Samaritans of Thailand (Bangkok) celebrated their 40th Anniversary Contents: We are pleased to present the latest BW Tokyo; Japan celebrated their 20th Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) 50th edition of the BW newsletter. Anniversary Anniversary This edition records some significant Sourire de Reda; Morocco has been anniversaries of five of our member Samaritans of Thailand (Bangkok) operating for 10 years. Centres: 40th Anniversary Congratulations to you all on reaching Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) 20th Anniversary of BW Tokyo Japan these significant anniversaries. celebrated their 50th Anniversary Please let us know what is happening BW Miyazaki annual concert & Bloemfontein Befrienders: South Africa in your Centre and especially when you lecture in association with World their 45th Anniversary are celebrating significant events. Suicide Prevention Day Outreach Activities of Befrienders Samaritans of Singapore (SOS ) 50th Anniversary Penang Conference – Unifying Communities; Befrienders Kenya: Breaking the Strengthening Hope Silence; Gatekeeper Training; World In conjunction with Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) 50th anniversary, Unifying Suicide Prevention Day. Communities; Strengthening Hope conference brings together experts in Samaritans of Singapore: activities different fields of work to share their knowledge and experience on suicide and its in September prevention. This year, we have included opportunities to discuss matters related to the elderly, digital media, workplace mental health, and challenges faced by Letter from Befrienders minority groups in Singapore. Bloemfontein You may find more details of the conference here: News from Kaan Pete Roi; https://www.sos.org.sg/blog/conference2019 Bangladesh Press release from Sourire de Reda This year, the Samaritans of Thailand turned 40 Activities of Befrienders KL (Kuala Lumpur; Malaysia). To celebrate this significant milestone of our organization, we organized an international conference on suicide prevention over the weekend of March Befrienders Kenya: Suicide 8-10, 2019, at a hotel in the ancient Siamese capital of Ayutthaya. The principal Prevention workshop and training; objectives of the conference are to foster closer relationship with like-minded Caring for the care givers; Mental organizations around the world, to provide networking opportunities for future Health Panel discussion; Outreach collaboration, and, most importantly, to exchange ideas and learn from one Programme and Charged for another as we face the upcoming challenges as emotional support providers in Attempting Suicide. this rapidly changing world. The theme of the conference was “Challenging the Challenges”. The conference was attended by close to a hundred delegates from suicide prevention centers in various countries across three continents. Locally, we also welcomed delegates from the government sector, other NGO’s, the British Embassy as well as members of the local press. We felt really honored that during this conference, three very prominent personalities have accepted our invitation to give keynote speeches. To contact us: To submit articles or information for the Newsletter, please contact the BW Secretary, Dave Watkins (communications@ befrienders.org). Contact information for the Chair of the Trustees is: Martin Taylor ([email protected]). 1 about his experiences on movie work. We discussed these issues making with suicide theme, how he extensively and came up with previously romanticized suicide in his framework on how we may cope movies, and how his perception about with these rising challenges. suicide changed after he came into contact with the representatives from the Samaritans of Thailand. He also discussed how he employed his artistic skills in helping the Samaritans of Thailand raise awareness of the gravity Dr. Mechai Viravaidhya, a former of the suicide issue in Thailand and Senator and Tourism Minister and shed light on how everyone may have a pioneer of community works in role in suicide prevention by “listening Thailand who is affectionately known as with their hearts”. In Thai culture, Thailand’s “Mr. Condom” for his pivotal “having role in reducing the population growth fun” is an of the country, gave a very motivational integral part speech on his work at a community- of our lives. based rural school. The delegates felt Consequently, very inspired by his speech and many in addition to renewed their commitment to continue providing the with their work to bring positive opportunities changes to this world. to have serious Mr. Michael Yoon, discussions Safety Manager of through Facebook in Asia workshops and listening to keynote Pacific, was another speeches, we also ensured that our keynote speaker delegates had as much fun as possible. who provided We hosted a welcome dinner on a insights to the audience about the company’s commitment Looking into the future, we see a of the social media company in number of challenges taking place suicide prevention through its within the next decade. With this in collaboration with organizations such mind, we organized workshops focused as the Samaritans of Thailand. He also on three main issues that we feel will discussed how technology can be become very challenging in the near utilized for suicide prevention work. future: 1. The problems associated ageing societies and how we can help people cope, 2. The increasing frequency of cyberbullying as the use of social media rises exponentially and how this problem can be alleviated, and 3. Whether the use of artificial river cruise on Friday evening, where intelligence and machine learning the delegates enjoyed the scenery of Finally, Mr. Pen-Ek Rattanaruang, an in emotional support work will the historical ruins of Ayutthaya while internationally acclaimed and multi- become a challenge or opportunity having dinner and cruising. It was award winning movie director, talked for us who are in this line of thoroughly enjoyed by all. On Saturday The Board of Befrienders Worldwide November 2019 2 Continued from page 2... The conference concluded on Sunday, March 10, with the final speech by 20th Anniversary of our Chairman summarizing the BW Tokyo Japan night, we hosted the “International things we had discussed and learned Night” where delegates from different together throughout the weekend BW Tokyo Japan had a Lecture countries performed on stage. The and challenging the delegates to face Meeting on 15th December 2018 evening’s event culminated in a Thai upcoming challenges with confidence, celebrating the 20th Anniversary. communal dance, participated by all courage, and commitment. Most The title was “Be honest, unique, delegates. delegates expressed their positive and peaceful: Tips to relieve views about the conference we hosted. Depression, Anxiety, and Grief from Meaningful friendships, both on the a psychological point of view”. individual and organizational levels, Twitter Japan offered the venue as were established during the conference. BW Tokyo Japan has admitted as Many delegates have already told us their partnership organization from that they were looking forward to 2016. When someone tweets suicidal returning once again in 2029 when we comment, Twitter Japan recommends will be celebrating our 50th anniversary. BW Tokyo Japan Helpline. After the lecture meeting, we had a special party, “BO-NENKAI”, celebrating our 20th anniversary. More than 40 people including supporters from the beginning, former Befrienders colleagues and Befrienders family gathered from all over Japan. Four new members had certified as listening volunteers and received the blessing of attendees. May the four be good listening volunteers. Many thanks to the British Embassy for producing and posting this clip Director of BW Tokyo Japan on their facebook page: https:// Machiko Nakayama www.facebook.com/ukinthailand/ videos/2081400941979528/ “BO-NENKAI” means generally a year- Centres in Japan. As many pupils and end party in Japan. As BO (forget) students of elementary school, junior and BO (hope) are homophones in high school, and high school tend to Japanese of each other, (Homophone be suicidal especially at the end of the (pronounced HAH-muh-fone) is Greek summer vacation or the first school for “same sound.” It’s when two or day. Befrienders of Tokyo Centre care more words have the same sound, but for themselves with everyone bringing different meanings.) snacks for a break and chatting. Some enjoy this special chance to meet each A party for Befrienders hoping and other. looking to creat a society where suicidal feelings shall not be denied easily and the decision to take one’s own life shall be respected”. The BW Tokyo Japan provided a Toll-Free Helpline from midnight of 31st August “Be honest, unique, and peaceful: Tips to 05:30 am on 2nd September for to relieve Depression, Anxiety, and the World Suicide Prevention Day, Grief from a psychological point of 10th September in cooperation of BW view” The Board of Befrienders Worldwide November 2019 3 BW Miyazaki; Japan Every year, the BW Miyazaki Japan holds an annual concert with a lecture meeting for the World Suicide Prevention Day, 10th September. This year, the speaker of the lecture meeting was Dr. Masato Hiejima, a psychiatrist. He talked about risks of addiction, mental illness, and suicide. We learned how they are related to each other and what can we do for such people. Approx. 100 participants of the lecture meeting enjoyed