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The Joyful@HK Campaign, which aims to work with the public and different sectors of the community to promote mental well-being for a joyful and fruitful life, was launched today (January 29).
The Campaign is a three-year territory-wide mental health promotion programme launched by the Department of Health (DH) with an aim of increasing the public's engagement in promoting mental well-being and enhancing their knowledge and understanding about mental health.
Officiating at the Joyful@HK Campaign kick-off ceremony today, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, said, "The Government has always attached great importance to the mental health of the general public. To strengthen the support to people in need, the Review Committee on Mental Health, chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, was set up by the Government in 2013 to map out the future direction on the development of mental health services, with a view to enhancing the quality and efficiency of those services.
"The Joyful@HK Campaign launched today was initiated at the suggestion of the Review Committee. To take forward this Campaign, the Advisory Group on Mental Health Promotion was established under the Review Committee in mid-2015 to oversee the work of the Campaign. I am glad to see the fruit of the Review Committee and the Advisory Group in launching such a large-scale territory-wide promotion campaign in a short period of time."
Also addressing the launch ceremony, Dr Ko said, "Mental health occupies a prominent position in the public health agenda. Besides physical health, being mentally healthy is equally important. Maintaining good mental well-being allows us to cope with pressure in daily life and perform duties effectively, and as a result contribute to our society. Thus, mental health is not only a personal matter, but also a keystone of maintaining the smooth operation of society."
He added, "Promoting mental health is an essential responsibility of the Government. However, apart from the Government providing services, it is also necessary to have assistance and support from non-government organisations, community organisations, academics and more. I hope the Joyful@HK Campaign can further enhance the interest and understanding of the general public on the importance of mental health."
Other officiating guests included the Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health), Mr Richard Yuen; the Under Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; and the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan.
Celebrity Sammi Cheng has been appointed as the ambassador of the Joyful@HK Campaign to promote mental well-being to the public. A theme song for the Campaign was composed by Cheng and another singer, Ellen Loo, with lyrics by Lin Xi. Cheng will sing the theme song to disseminate messages about mental well-being through music.
The slogan of Joyful@HK is "Fun. Feel. Share", which reflects how members of the public can enhance mental well-being by integrating three key elements, namely "Sharing", "Mind" and "Enjoyment", into their daily life. "Sharing" means sharing with family and friends and offering support to the needy; "Mind" refers to keeping an open mind, perceiving things with a positive attitude and optimism; and "Enjoyment" implies engaging in enjoyable activities to maximise potential and achieve satisfaction.
A series of publicity events will be launched under the Campaign this year to promote mental well-being to different age groups, including the elderly, adults and adolescents.
The DH has established a thematic website (www.joyfulathk.hk) for the Campaign. It features a page called "My Pledge", on which the public can make "Sharing", "Mind" or "Enjoyment" pledges by selecting their desired icons and messages. A number of celebrities and guests have already made their pledges.
A Facebook fan page (fb.com/joyfulathk) for the Campaign has also been launched. Members of the public are welcome to "Like" and share the fan page.
In addition, the DH has also produced an Announcement in the Public Interest (API). The API has been uploaded to the Joyful@HK Campaign thematic website, the Facebook fan page and the Centre for Health Protection YouTube Channel (youtube.com/c/ChpGovHkChannel). The API will also be broadcast on TV and radio from tonight onwards.
Ends/Friday, January 29, 2016
Issued at HKT 19:13
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