Can you remember the last time you asked this question?

Nowadays, and especially in the last two years, we can notice that people have become alienated from each other, that they have no time for themselves or for the people around them.

Our lives are dominated by stress, worry, insecurity, the struggle to preserve (physical) health and existence. All of the above affects our mental health.

According to the 2021. “Cov2Soul” research results, conducted by public health, mental health and mental disorders experts- every sixth citizen of Serbia meets the criteria for one of the more common psychiatric disorders. Every second person facing depression in Serbia does not seek help and support because they are worried about what their neighbors will say! (PIN, 2022, Cov2Soul, 2021). It is important to talk about mental health, and to pay more attention to it. Mental health is an integral part of the overall health of a person, and it is important to relocate mental health care from large institutions to the community, and make it available to everyone. With this campaign, we are addressing the decision makers of the municipality Stari grad because we believe that local public policies are the first step towards the reform of mental health care.

This is exactly why Prostor launched the “Neighbor, how are you?” campaign, aiming to draw attention to the importance of mental health in the society, emphasize the importance of better mental health care, as well as point out the problems of discrimination faced by people with mental health problems.

The campaign is part of the “Mental health for all” project, supported through the program “ACT – Together for an active civil society”, carried out by the Swiss non-governmental organization HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation and the Association of Citizens for Democracy and Civic Education of the Civic Initiatives.

It was also supported through the project “Psychiatr&I”- involvement of local institutions and citizens in the improvement of mental health services in the community”, carried out through the support program for public advocacy #PokretPolet, implemented by the Trag Foundation with the financial support of the European Union, in partnership with the Center for Social Policy and in cooperation with the Coalition for the Development of Solidarity Economy – KoRSE.

An exhibition of artworks created by the users of psychiatric services, as well as useful items inspired by the theme of the campaign was organized as part of the “Neighbor, how are you?” campaign in the “Jevremovac” Botanical Garden, on June 21st.

In June 2022, a meeting of the Working Group for the development of the Public Health Plan of the Municipality of Stari Grad was held. One of the activities of the project “Mental health for all” supported through the program Together for an active civil society – ACT, which is carried out by the Swiss non-governmental organization HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation and the Association of Citizens for Democracy and Civic Education of the Civic Initiatives, is the participation of representatives of CSO Prostor in the development of the documents in the field of Public Health with the aim of integrating mental health as a special category of Public Health in the Plans of Belgrade Municipalities.