WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY

WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY 2011
IS OBSERVED TODAY 10 SEPTEMBER

http://gozonews.com/ - World Suicide Prevention Day is held on September 10th each year. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented. Disseminating information, improving education and training, and decreasing stigmatization are important tasks in such an endeavour. The theme in 2011 is “Preventing Suicide in Multicultural Societies.”  The themes of the last two years of the World Suicide Prevention Day have focussed on suicide prevention in different cultures across the world.  In all countries there are a variety of ethnic and religious groups living in the same society.  Multicultural societies require cultural sensitivity in all suicide prevention efforts.  When differences are found between cultural groups in a society, e.g. suicide rates and risk factors, these tend to be explained in terms of cultural differences.

Other factors that may be important are unemployment, poverty, oppression, marginalisation, stigmatisation, or racism.  The WHO estimates that about one million people around the world die by suicide every year.  National suicide prevention strategies have now been implemented in several countries, but not all of them reflect the fact that the country is comprised of various minority groups.  Risk factors for suicide vary across cultural groups. Knowledge about common risk factors in a society often stems from research in majority populations. However, in a multicultural context awareness is needed in that some risk factors may play different roles in the suicidal process as well as in suicide prevention for some minority groups compared to the majority population.  The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) website can be found here: http://www.iasp.info/

Every year, almost one million people die from suicide; a “global” mortality rate of 16 per 100,000, or one death every 40 seconds. World Suicide Prevention Day promotes worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides.  Disseminating information, improving education and training, and decreasing stigmatization are important tasks in raising awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented.  The human form of life is very rarely attained, and although temporary, gives us a chance to achieve the supreme goal of life.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

The human form in this world is the best for attainment of the service of Krishna in the divine realm. It is for this reason that it is so valuable. ... The real value of the human life is clarified by the scriptures. They advise us: “Utilise this human form to attain the divine plane of Krishna’s pastimes. It is very suitable for that, human life is very suitable to reach that highest plane - it is very similar in many aspects. The human birth is rarely attained, and if you avoid this chance to approach the divine realm through it, you commit suicide. It is not a small mistake you are committing, it is the greatest mistake if you lose this chance it amounts to suicide, not less than that.  So, try for that highest plane. If you lose this birth, there is no guarantee that again you will get a human birth you may have to go to visit other species.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“From Any Position You May Come, Join Me”
http://bvml.org/SBRSM/fapymcjm.html
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library