PRESS RELEASE: Largest Visual Presentation of Men’s Suicide 2,500 Empty Shoes Celebrating International Men’s Day Parliament House Canberra this Sunday 19 November 2023
The team at International Mens Day and the Zerosuicide Community Awareness Program would like to invite you to attend the largest visual presentation of men’s suicide to ever take place in Australia and quite possibly the world. The aim of this 2,500-shoe presentation is to create a ripple effect of positive awareness through education on the men’s suicide crisis in Australia. The global theme for International Mens Day, which will be celebrated this Sunday on 19 November 2023, is “ZEREO MALE SUICIDE”.
During last year’s event Paul Withall and his team laid down one shoe for each man or boy that died by suicide. The 2500 number has become very significant with rises of between 8-11% in the first 2 reported states data from 2022 in men alone. We are currently losing between 40 and 50 men and boys a week with annual data showing men’s suicide has been double the entire Australian road toll for many years now and is now nearly triple the Australian road toll in 2022.
Paul Withall said, “This visual presentation is provided as a free of charge event this Sunday for the Australian community and for all organisations and members of parliament to attended. This is not a protest. This is a memorial event for the families to have recognition for their lost loved ones and so we can come together and educate Australia on the key factors that can reduce men’s suicide. The constant increase in male suicide shows the current methods are not working when it comes to men.”
Warwick Marsh from International Mens Day in Australia said, “Please help Paul Withall and his team raise awareness about the men’s suicide crisis by attending the Canberra parliament house ACA LAWN on Sunday November 19. The event goes from 9:30AM – 3PM this Sunday. Last Thursday we had many Senators and members of parliament attend and speak alongside leaders in the field all working together to raise awareness through the visual display of these empty shoes.”
Marsh continued, “This is the second year that Dads4Kids have supported the 2,500 Empty Shoe Male Suicide Presentation at Parliament House in Canberra which celebrates International Mens Day. This year the team at Dads4kids gave Paul Withall the 2023 International Mens Day Australian Courage Award for his amazing work on promoting the desperate need to turn the tide of male suicide in Australia.”
This 2,500-shoe presentation will continue running annually every year and it will be the marker for male suicide prevention and awareness in our country. 75% off all suicides in Australia are men and boys and by publicising this reality we raise awareness of the distress and mental health anguish that affect our entire community.
Paul Withall – Zerosuicide Community Awareness Program, Mobile: 0457 100 010 Email Address: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066793477202
Warwick Marsh – International Men’s Day: Mobile 0418 225 212 https://internationalmensday.com
Fatherlessness is a growing problem internationally. The fact is that when manhood falters so does fatherhood. When fatherhood falters, so does society. Fatherlessness hurts our children. That’s why supporting International Mens Day is so important. Good men make good fathers and children need both a mother and a father. Positive male role models are critical for their healthy development.
For this reason the Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation is the global digital driving force and the coordinating charity for International Men’s Day. Dads4Kids was first challenged to take up this role by an Indian Mens Advocate Uma Challa from the Save the Indian Family Foundation. We honour her inspiration and also the courage of the Founder Dr Jerome Teelucksingh. Together we can make a difference.
The Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation is a harm prevention charity based in Australia. Our mission is to improve the well being of children through promoting and nurturing good men. Good men become good fathers and the benefit of positive male role models is then felt in the next generation. Children are always the benefactors of our charitable work.
We thank you in advance for your support for International Mens Day. With your help we can promote ‘positive male role models’ through International Men’s Day and better help the children of the world
