World Suicide Prevention Day 2025 – Date, Theme, History, Quotes

World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) provides the opportunity for people, across the globe, to raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention. World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), on 10 September, is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). WHO has been co-sponsor of the day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented. In past years, over 300 activities in around 70 countries were reported to IASP, including educational and commemorative events, press briefings and conferences, as well as Facebook and Twitter coverage. In this blog, we will discuss about World Suicide Prevention Day 2025.

World Suicide Prevention Day 2025 Date –  September 10

In this article readers can get a glimpse on

• History of World Suicide Prevention Day
• World Suicide Prevention Day Theme 2025
• World Suicide Prevention Day Quiz

World Suicide Prevention Day Theme 2025

The theme for World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) in 2025 is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.”

This is a triennial theme, meaning it will also be the theme for 2026 and 2027. This theme, set by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), focuses on moving away from the stigma and silence that often surround suicide and replacing them with openness, empathy, and support. It’s a call to action for individuals, communities, organizations, and governments to foster honest conversations, advocate for systemic change, and prioritize mental health and suicide prevention.

World Suicide Prevention Day Previous Themes

World Suicide Prevention Day, observed annually on September 10, was established by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2003. It aims to raise awareness that suicide is a major preventable cause of death and to promote worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicide.

Each year, a specific theme is chosen by the IASP to highlight different aspects of suicide prevention. Here are the themes from recent years:

• 2015: “Preventing Suicide: Reaching Out and Saving Lives”
• 2016: “Connect, Communicate, Care”
• 2017: “Take a minute, change a life”
• 2018: “Working Together to Prevent Suicide”
• 2019: “Working Together to Prevent Suicide” (The theme was carried over from the previous year).
• 2020: “Working Together to Prevent Suicide” (This theme was a three-year campaign from 2018-2020).
• 2021: “Creating Hope Through Action”
• 2022: “Creating Hope Through Action” (This theme was a three-year campaign from 2021-2023).
• 2023: “Creating Hope Through Action” (The theme concluded its three-year run).
• 2024: “Changing the narrative on suicide”

History of World Suicide Prevention Day

On 10 September 2003, World Suicide Prevention Day was first observed by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organisation.

In 2014, the first WHO World Suicide report was released “Preventing Suicide: A Global Imperative,” which aimed at suicide prevention and making it a high priority on the global public health agenda.

In 1960, The International Association of Suicide Prevention was established by the late Professor Erwin Ringel and Dr. Norman Faberlow in Vienna. Currently, it consists of professionals and volunteers from 77 countries, and it is a Non-Governmental Organisation that is concerned with suicide prevention.

Some Facts about Suicide Prevention Day.

• 1 in 100,000 children aged between 10 and 14 dies by suicide every year.
• Lesbian, gay, and bisexual children are 3 times more likely than straight children to attempt suicide at some point in their lives.
• Suicide rates among the elderly are highest for those who are divorced or widowed.
• 12.7 in 100,000 young adults aged between 20-24 die by suicide each year.
• Females are more likely than males to have had suicidal thoughts.
• Poisoning is the most common method of suicide in females.
• There is one suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts.
• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US for all ages.
• 80% -90% of people that seek treatment for depression are treated successfully by therapy and/or medication.
• In a study, 41% of transgender adults state they had attempted suicide. The same study found that 61% of transgender people who were victims of physical assault had attempted suicide.

Quotes for World Suicide Prevention Day

1. “A bridge of silver wings stretches from the dead ashes of an unforgiving nightmare
   to the jeweled vision of a life started anew.”
2. “Each star is a mirror reflecting the truth inside you.”
3. “Hearts rebuilt from hope resurrect dreams killed by hate.”
4. “Most people are slow to champion love because they fear the transformation it brings into their lives. And make no mistake about it: love does take over and transform the schemes and operations of our egos in a very mighty way.”
5. “Love is our most unifying and empowering common spiritual denominator. The more we ignore its potential to bring greater balance and deeper meaning to human existence, the more likely we are to continue to define history as one long inglorious record of man’s inhumanity to man.
6. “When you feel like giving up, just remember the reason why you held on for so long.”
7. “If you are looking for a sign not to kill yourself, this is it.”
8. Place your hand over your heart, can you feel it? That is called purpose. You’re alive for a reason so don’t ever give up.”
9. “Because if you kill yourself, you’re also going to kill the people who love you.”

World Suicide Prevention Day Celebration

Activities and events for this day are diverse and take place worldwide. They are designed to engage a wide range of people—from individuals and families to governments and healthcare professionals. Common ways people and organizations participate include:

• “Light a Candle” Vigil: One of the most widespread and symbolic activities is the “Light a Candle” initiative. People are encouraged to light a candle at 8 p.m. in their local time zone and place it in a window. This simple act serves as a gesture of support for suicide prevention, a way to remember those lost, and a sign of hope for survivors.
• Community Events and Campaigns: Organizations and communities hold a variety of events, such as memorial services, walks to remember, public conferences, educational seminars, and cultural or spiritual gatherings. Many of these events feature speakers with “lived experience,” whose stories can help humanize the issue and inspire others to seek help or offer support.
• Public Awareness and Advocacy: A significant portion of WSPD efforts focuses on spreading information. This includes distributing leaflets and posters, writing articles for newspapers and blogs, and securing interviews on radio and television. These initiatives aim to educate the public on warning signs, how to help someone in crisis, and the importance of professional help. Advocacy groups also use the day to call on politicians and policymakers to prioritize suicide prevention in public health agendas.
• Online and Social Media Engagement: The digital world plays a crucial role in modern WSPD celebrations. Social media campaigns use hashtags like #WSPD to amplify messages of hope and support. Organizations provide online toolkits with suggested posts and graphics, making it easy for individuals to participate and share information with their networks. The IASP has also created a universal suicide prevention ribbon in yellow and orange, which is often used in social media and campaigns.
• Fundraising and Resource Development: Many events are also used to raise funds for suicide prevention research, support services, and helplines. Additionally, WSPD is a time for the launch of new resources, research papers, and policy initiatives aimed at strengthening global efforts to prevent suicide

World Suicide Prevention Day Quiz 2025

1. When is World Suicide Prevention Day observed each year?

A) September 10
B) October 10
C) November 10