The International Foundation of Research and Education (iFred), today introduces a proclamation to establish an International Day of Hope, where cities, schools, states, and workplaces around the world activate the Science of Hope through art, a Five Day Global Hope Challenge, and teaching Hopeful Minds in schools, as a proactive way to make mental health a priority in individuals and communities.
The International Day of Hope will be celebrated on the first Monday of May with both an online Facebook Livestream from 9:30 am to 10:30 am PST with Hope Experts, and a 1:00 p.m. in-person event at Reno City Center. Mayor Hillary Schieve and community members will speak on how they are activating hope in Reno.
There will also be an unveiling of the Hopeful Cities mural, and filming for a documentary.
Hopeful Cities invites the public to attend and share stories and messages of what brings them hope, how they activate, and ways they can spread hope. The day is followed by a five-day full activation, with a social media tool kit free for anyone in the world to use. The goal is to showcase the importance of proactively managing hopelessness, and activating skills for hope.
Hopeful Cities is a new initiative developed by iFred that incorporates almost ten years of research on what it takes to create, maintain, and grow hope. iFred started with the development of the Hopeful Minds curriculum, the only free global program aimed at teaching young kids the “how-to” of hope. It has been used extensively, and was covered by the BBC in the documentary “Teens on the Edge” and studied at Ulster University.”
“The consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic sent Reno, Nevada, and the world into a spiral of hopelessness, the primary symptom of depression and anxiety,” says Hillary Schieve, Reno Mayor. “The physical isolation triggered many complications, including depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, sleep disorders, and emotional disturbance. The job and home losses are also adding to the dire circumstances of many, and it is critical we use hope as a strategy, focus on it in the community, practice skills, and work together to combat the many challenges we face.”
Hopeful Cities has launched a Hopeful Cities Playbook that any city can download and use to learn how to activate hope in various sectors, including Government, Education, Science, Workplace, Art, and Awareness. Proclamation language is included, so all understand the importance of activating hope and the impact of hopelessness. All program materials are free for download at Hopeful Cities, and iFred aims to encourage all to share and spread.
“We’ve got to stop just talking about hope as just a wish, as it is much more, and there is a robust scientific field in hope,” says Kathryn Goetzke, Founder of iFred, Creator of Hopeful Minds, Hopeful Cities, and Hopeful Mindsets, author of The Biggest Little Book About Hope, host of The Hope Matrix, and recent appointee at the United Nations representing the World Federation for Mental Health.
“Hopelessness is both emotional despair and motivational helplessness, so we aim to teach individuals the “how-to” of getting from despair to positive feelings, and helplessness to inspired action. We also ensure they know where crisis resources are before they actually need them. Hope is always possible, yet it must be activated.”
The Hopeful Cities Movement was made possible by Anthem, The City of Reno, CAI Investments, Reno City Center, and Hope Means Nevada. Hopeful Cities thanks their sponsors for the generous support and contributions to their work.
About Hopeful Cities
Hopeful Cities is a project developed by iFred. It operationalizes hope as it creates awareness about its importance. It teaches while it talks. iFred was grown out of a need to rebrand depression and provide tools globally that not just educate on the importance of hope, but teach the “how-to” in the process. Reno, the first city to join the initiative, helped sponsor the program through Cares Act funding, recognizing how all aspects of the global pandemic impact mental health. Hopeful Cities include free, downloadable materials that are continually being updated. Find out more at www.hopefulcities.org.
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