São Brás de Alportel is once again raising awareness about the importance of mental health, joining the “Hold On to Life” (Agarra a Vida) campaign this September – the international month for suicide prevention.
In a statement to the press, the municipal council highlights the town’s ongoing commitment to raising awareness, fighting stigma, and reminding the community that everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide and supporting mental well-being.
As a visible symbol, the “Liberty” sculpture on Avenida da Liberdade has been lit up in bright yellow, turning it into a “symbolic mark of alertness and reflection about the importance of mental health”. The town hall is also bathed in the same colour, amplifying the campaign’s message of “awareness and hope”.
Launched globally by the World Health Organization and the International Association for Suicide Prevention, the “Hold On to Life” campaign in Portugal is backed by the National Coordination for Mental Health Policies, the Portuguese Society of Suicidology, and in the Algarve by ULS Algarve, its Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, local health centres, councils and partner institutions.
The council adds that São Brás de Alportel has been reinforcing its local action through the Municipal Psychology Service. The town is also a partner of the association Prometo Viver, which has helped SOS Voz Amiga open a new helpline centre in the Algarve with dozens of new volunteers. In addition, a partnership with ASMAL led to the creation of the project Emocionalmente, designed to make access to mental health care easier.
More information about the help available can be found online.
