IASP’s virtual cycling event, Cycle Around the Globe, is back for the eighth year running, to raise awareness of suicide prevention worldwide.
Every 40 seconds someone takes their life, almost 800,000 people a year around the world. For each suicide approximately 135 people suffer intense grief or are otherwise affected resulting in 108 million people, annually, are profoundly impacted by suicidal behaviours. For every suicide, 25 people make a suicide attempt and many more have serious thoughts of suicide.
Suicide is sadly a global concern exacerbated by the challenges we all face with COVID-19. The global pandemic has impacted all aspects of people’s lives, relationships, health and well-being – the world over – and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. With the restrictions globally, it is vital that mental health and suicide prevention remain priorities. It has never been more important to look after ourselves and each other.
IASP leads the global effort in suicide prevention. World Suicide Prevention Day and the month-long period up to World Mental Health Day, is the primary opportunity throughout the year to raise awareness of suicide and to reduce stigma surrounding it and encourage conversations.
Cycle Around the Globe aims to raise awareness of suicide prevention and supports IASP’s work promoting evidence-based action to reduce the incidence of suicide and suicidal behaviour. Through the new World Suicide Prevention Day theme, ‘Creating Hope Through Action’, The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) encourages the global community to engage in a collaborative effort to cycle any distance on any road, track or in a gym to help prevent suicide.
Participants will have the opportunity to challenge friends, family and colleagues through the team facility and encourage competition through the online leaderboards. IASP encourages participants to share their story and upload images to inspire and motivate participants from around the world and to amplify the global conversation on suicide prevention.
Last year over 201,000 miles were cycled in over 40 countries, which is equivalent to eight times around the world, but this year IASP wants to top that!
Cycle Around the Globe takes place from the 10th of September to the 10th of October 2021. It is free to participate, and fundraising is optional. Participants will have the option to manually log their distances or connect their Strava account.
Registrations are now open. For more information, to register as an individual or to sign up as a team click here.
