Qatar Airways marks World Mental Health Day

Qatar Airways, in partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), will host a programme of activities and events throughout the month of October designed to raise awareness of good mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, as part of World Mental Health Day on Wednesday 10 October 2018.
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The programme will include a series of educational awareness presentations and displays, social media discussion sessions, mental health-themed drawing and photography competitions for staff and their families, as well as a special health and wellness VIP event on the day itself.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways has always been a strong advocate for promoting better mental health and wellbeing among its staff through its ‘Priority 1 - Your Health & Wellness’ campaign.

“A healthy mind is every bit as important as a healthy body, but the stigma associated with mental health issues is often a huge factor is preventing those struggling, from seeking the right kind of help and support. We aim to tackle this by encouraging people to view as broken down into five themes of ‘Be Active’, ‘Connect’, ‘Take Notice’, ‘Keep Learning’ and ‘Give’.

“Our message is that, by redirecting your energies towards boosting your physical health, reaching out to those around you, becoming more aware of your feelings, trying new things and focusing on kindness and sharing, you can combat many of the negative emotions and behaviours that affect our everyday lives. We are delighted to partner with Hamad Medical Corporation to champion this important global initiative.

Qatar Airways Group Medical Director, Dr. John Roberts, said: “Encouraging an awareness of practices that can lead to greater emotional wellbeing in the workplace is a key part of this campaign. We invite all staff and family members to participate in the many activities designed to promote greater understanding of ways we can support ourselves and each other in this important area.”

An initiative of the World Federation of Mental Health and supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Mental Health Day takes place every year on 10 October with the objective of raising awareness of mental health issues and promoting greater emotional wellbeing. 

Among the Qatar Airways events and activities that have been organised for this year’s programme include a photography competition, ‘Mental Health through my Lens’, inviting Qatar Airways Group employees to submit a photo with a description of how the image connects to one of the five themes.

Young children of staff can also get involved by drawing a picture to illustrate the theme ‘Happiness in my world’, and a series of presentations will be on display at all main Qatar Airways offices to promote greater awareness of key mental health issues.