Clare Fahl and Lynda Jacob stopped by Today Radio‘s Sunny Side Up morning show to discuss Luxembourg’s annual ‘Darkness into Light’ initiative — a suicide prevention and awareness walk taking place this Saturday 11 May.
First launched in Luxembourg in 2019, the event started in Ireland in 2009 and has since expanded globally, taking place in countries such as South Korea, Spain, Netherlands, New Zealand, and many more.
The event unites participants before sunset, at 5am, with a walk along a candle-lit path as the sun rises into the dawn – symbolising the way every step can bring a person out of the darkness that comes with the feelings preceding suicide and self-harm.
The walk offers a powerful metaphor for the road to seeking help. It seeks to bring people together in an act of solidarity; a reminder that they aren’t alone amidst the struggles of mental illness.
Each walk is also dedicated to raising money for local mental health charities. This year’s donations will go to Kannerjugendtelefon, which provides support and counselling to children and young people, and the SOS Detresse helpline and the Luxembourg Mental Health League. All of these charities seek to increase the accessibility of mental health resources in Luxembourg.
Since its beginning, the combined efforts of the global ‘Darkness into Light’ walks have funded over 100,000 helpline calls and texts and 50,946 counselling hours. While the walk does raise funds, Jacobs and Fahl stress that the walk is also about the experience of each individual, reflecting and coming together.
Sign up to participate in this year’s ‘Darkness into Light’ event, and support a brighter future where no one is left to struggle alone.
Listen to Today Radio‘s Sunny Side Up interview with Clare Fahl and Lynda Jacob here or through the player below:
For the most important sunrise of the year, Saturday, May 11th at 5am, Darkness Into Light, walks together to raise awareness for Suicide Prevention.
You can also listen to The Melissa Dalton Show’s recent interview with Caoimhe Alliot — a translator at the European Commission who helped launch ‘Darkness Into Light’ in the Grand Duchy in 2019 — here or through the player below:
