by mustafasA cultural response to trauma, stigma, and survival, through art, dialogue, and community care.
10 October 2020 | The Freedom Theatre (TFT) in Jenin Refugee Camp is proud to join the international movement marking World Mental Health Day, reaffirming that mental health is not a private issue, it is a collective responsibility, and a fundamental right.
In Palestine, the psychological burden carried by young people is intensified by conditions that would be unimaginable elsewhere: prolonged military occupation, repeated violence, economic hardship, unemployment, isolation, and the ongoing disruption of daily life. Under these realities, the call for “resilience” is often imposed as an expectation, while spaces for vulnerability, care, and healing remain limited or stigmatized.
At The Freedom Theatre, we believe that mental health cannot be separated from justice. And we believe that art is not only a mirror of pain, but also a practice of survival, one that creates language for what is often silenced.
Breaking the silence
Within many communities, conversations about anxiety, depression, trauma, and emotional vulnerability remain taboo. Young people are often expected to endure quietly, to “stay strong,” and to hide distress as weakness. This silence can be deadly.
Through this campaign, TFT calls for a new approach: one rooted in honesty, compassion, and collective care, so that we do not lose another life to isolation and despair.
A theatre that listens
As part of World Mental Health Day, The Freedom Theatre, in cooperation with Enas Abahreh, contributed to the global campaign encouraging communities to invest in mental health and to build supportive environments for young people.
The initiative centered on opening public space for dialogue around lived experience, stigma, and the urgent need for psychosocial support, especially for communities facing ongoing trauma and instability.
Why it matters
Mental health challenges are not rare. They are part of daily life for many:
- 1 in 4 people experience mental health issues at some point in their lives.
- One person dies by suicide every 40 seconds worldwide.
In Palestine, the need is compounded by political violence and structural restrictions that intensify fear, helplessness, and emotional exhaustion.
The Freedom Theatre’s commitment
TFT’s long-term vision is to ensure that creative spaces are also spaces of care, where children, youth, and communities can process experience, rebuild trust, and reclaim their inner voice.
This work aligns with TFT’s broader approach: using theatre, storytelling, and creative practice to build resilience, not as a slogan, but as a lived community process grounded in dignity, truth, and solidarity.
Let’s invest in mental health. Let’s move-together.
#MoveForMentalHealth
#WorldMentalHealthDay
#MentalHealth
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