Homepage -

OPEN CALL

WHERE IS THE LIGHT OF HOPE WHEN LIVING SEEMS POINTLESS?

OPEN CALL FOR CREATIVE REFLECTIONS | ONLINE EXHIBITION

A poem, a song, a drawing, a story, a photo, a sculpture, a video…

The ways we express ourselves and the ways we overcome the darkness of lost hope are as complex as our struggles and as manifold as are our reasons to live.

Through an online exhibition, we want to break the silence around suicide, share helpful resources and transform stories of pain into messages of hope for those who feel trapped, for those who sense that dealing with life becomes more and more overwhelming and for those who want to support but are uncertain as to how they can do so.

Help us raise awareness on suicide prevention in the region by submitting your creative reflections, or sharing what has helped you (e.g. meditation, dance, a new routine).

BECAUSE TOO MANY STORIES GO UNHEARD

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY STRUGGLING WITH THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE, PLEASE CALL
in JORDAN: +962 (0)79 578 5095 (IMC – 24/7 – Helpline)

in LEBANON: 1564 (National Suicide Prevention Hotline – 24/7 – Embrace Lifeline)

What is this Project About?

Suicides can be prevented.

Most people want to live. But for some, there are moments in life that make us want to escape the pain which can make us feel like we have no place on earth. It is estimated that 1 in every 100 deaths worldwide is caused by suicide. In many cultures it is hard to share how dark our feelings can be at times. But talking about them and experiencing that someone cares can generate hope and even save a life.

This is why we invite you to share your story of hope, to help others understand what kind of support is needed the most in moments of pain. Your submissions will be screened according to the ethical guidelines below and with your consent, all contributions will become part of an online exhibition that aims at giving voice to everyone who cares, to provide information around suicide prevention, and connect people to helpful resources.

Who can Submit?

Persons who have lived or are living with the risk of suicide know best what they need in times of crisis, therefore…

If you care about others who are suffering,

If you had moments where you felt utterly alone,

If there was a time where you thought that life seems pointless,

If you have lost a friend, a family member, or a colleague to suicide,

If you managed to move through the pain and stayed,

If you are offering support and/ or resources for support,

If you have empowered a loved one (or even a stranger) to live,

If none of the above applies, but you would like to encourage others to choose life…

…this is a great platform to inform and connect us as a society in supporting each other.

WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR PROFESSIONAL ART,
BUT FOR CONTRIBUTIONS THAT SPEAK FROM
THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE WHO CARE AND WANT
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

How to Submit?

TO SUBMIT YOUR ART WORK, KINDLY SEND AN EMAIL ALONG WITH YOUR ATTACHMENT TO:

CONTACT-RP-MHPSS@GIZ.DE

Kindly note that all contributions will be published anonymously. Even though we want to encourage a dialogue on (the prevention of) suicide and truly appreciate the courage of every person who is willing and ready to reveal their identity, we carry a responsibility for the personal security of everyone who contributes to this process. This platform may have a high frequency of visitors and we will not expose anyone to potentially harmful behavior of others.

Nonetheless, we will provide an option for visitors to e-mail us with any comments or requests they would like to put to the artists. We will forward such messages, thus protecting your anonymity. The choice to respond to any messages will be yours, and we will never reveal your identity or contact details without your express permission.

What is in it for me?

Your contribution will help to raise public awareness of the importance of prevention, which we hope will eventually make it easier for those who need care to find it. We also believe that expressing feelings through art is a unique opportunity for artists and their audience to discover, create, and understand meaning in a context where it is desperately needed. There will be no remuneration for submitting a work of art since we wish to encourage people to participate through a yearning to express themselves, and do not want to commercialise this initiative.

Guidelines for Selection

SAFE LANGUAGE AND IMAGES

We have a responsibility for people who are currently struggling with suicidal thoughts, for people with lived experience and for every member in our society. When using inappropriate language or imagery around suicide, stigma, prejudice and fear might increase. This in turn can prevent people from seeking help, and even reaching out to help others, too.

WE CANNOT ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS WHICH…

…Use language or images which sensationalize or normalize suicide
…Depicts a person who could thus be recognized by others (e.g. a face)
…Show or describe the method used in a completed or attempted suicide (this also includes the mentioning of locations / sites)
…Use explicit photographs or video footage
…Disregard feelings of people bereaved by suicide
…Use inappropriate language:

DO USE
A suicide
Ended/ taken his/her/their own life
Die by / death by suicide
Attempted suicide / suicide attempt
Person at risk of suicide

DON’T USE
Suicide hotspots / waves
Commit suicide
Cry for help / seeking attention
Successful / unsuccessful / failed attempt
The “body”, suicide victim

Who is behind this initiative?

This project is a pilot initiative under the patronage of:

It is implemented and supported by the following agencies and programmes:

LINKS

https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/your-country-and-the-netherlands/jordan

https://internationalmedicalcorps.org/country/jordan/

https://www.unhcr.org/jo/

https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/85978.html

https://www.giz.de/de/weltweit/83450.html

https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/39799.html

CONTACT INFORMATION
Regional Programme Psychosocial Support for Syrian and Iraqi Refugees and IDP:
contact-RP-MHPSS@giz.de

RESOURCES

https://rosesintheocean.com.au/

https://embracelebanon.org/

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

https://myh.org.uk/

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240026629

https://www.interventionjournal.org/currentissue.asp?sabs=n

https://www.iasp.info/

PROGRAMMING
Sufian Al-Ahmad

PHOTO CREDITS
Lena Pschiuk

Oqba Mohammad Ali Faraj

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

REGISTERED OFFICES

Bonn and Eschborn
Germany
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36
53113 Bonn
Germany
T +49 228 44 60-0
F +49 228 44 60-17 66
Dag-Hammarskjöld-Weg 1 – 65760 Eschborn
Germany
T +49 61 96 79-0
F +49 61 96 79-11 15
info@giz.de
www.giz.de

REGISTERED AT

Local court (Amtsgericht) Bonn, Germany: HRB 18384
Local court (Amtsgericht) Frankfurt am Main,
Germany: HRB 12394 VAT no. DE 113891176

CHAIRPERSON OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD

Martin Jäger
State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for
Economic Cooperation and Development

MANAGEMENT BOARD

Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel (Chair)

Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven