Nov 19 2022 Blog The MPA celebrates International Men’s Day 0 shares This annual global day of celebration is held on November 19th every year to highlight and honour men’s achievements and their contribution to the family, workplace and society as a whole. November is also the month of “Movember”, an annual event where men grow their moustaches during the entire month to raise awareness of health issues concerning men such as testicular cancer, prostate cancer, etc. International Men’s Day was first established in 1999 by Dr Jerome Teelucksingh, a person of Indian origin from the Caribbean. He chose the date of November 19th to honour his own father’s birthday. The day is more than just a celebration of men’s positive contributions to society; It also aims to raise and spread awareness of the issues facing men and boys, including both their mental and physical health, as well as aiming to build better relationships between men and women. The three core themes for International Men’s Day in the UK which are used every year to help maximise participation are: Making a positive difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys Raising awareness and/or funds for charities supporting men and boys’ wellbeing Promoting a positive conversation about men, manhood and masculinity These core themes help to address some of the issues that affect men and boys such as: The high male suicide rate The challenges faced by boys and men at all stages of education and work including attainment, re-training, redundancy and unemployment Men’s health (including male cancers), shorter life expectancy and workplace deaths – plus the health impact of Covid-19 The challenges faced by the most marginalised men and boys in society (for instance, homeless men, boys in care, school exclusions and the high rate of male deaths in custody) Male victims of violence, including sexual violence The challenges faced by men as parents, particularly new fathers and separated fathers Male victims and survivors of sexual abuse, rape, sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, forced marriage, honour-based crime, stalking and slavery The negative portrayal of men, boys and fathers (https://ukmensday.org.uk) —————————————————————————————————————- Messages and quotes from MPA colleagues and friends Join me in celebrating men on International Men’s Day 2022. Men should feel able to talk more freely about how things impact us both positively and negatively. Some of us tend to bottle up our feelings and do not realise this can affect our mental health and wellbeing and that of those around us. Talking, sharing and not being afraid to seek help, if necessary, can help us live healthier and happier lives. Paul Clements Thank you to all the men who are good husbands, good brothers, good sons and good fathers. Happy International Men’s Day! Will Mak There is a stigma in the world that men can’t talk, because they must be a “man” about it. If you’ve got weight on your shoulders, however big or small that maybe, then voice this out to someone. Whether that be to a close friend, a partner, a therapist etc. We usually think we are alone in our problems; but the thing is, we are alone in this together! Each of us is going through our own mental battles and we feel like we are alone, but once we voice this out, we will come to realise that everyone is going through something, and we all need to be united and make sure everyone feels supported. Jeremy Vinalon Within my network, we don’t just check on each other with a simple how are you. We ask: – How are you? Really? – How’s your state of mind at the moment? – What are you grateful for? – What’s your current challenge(s)? – How can I help? (even if it’s just by listening) This is because it’s truly important to check in on each other and provide a safe space. As men, our mental and emotional health is the key to our happiness, as well as serving value to those we care about. Emmillio Inyang When things get a bit much, try to remember, the calmness you’re looking for already exists, just take some time out to remind yourself of this fact and give yourself the space to find it. Anon One of my favourite quotes is by Ken Blanchard – “Nice guys may appear to finish last, but usually they are running a different race.” This quote is important to me because it puts things into perspective. Everything needs to be seen in context. Florian Koempel Try not to overlook the link between physical and mental health. Consistent exercise and a healthy diet have improved my mental wellbeing beyond what I could have imagined. Eddie Morris —————————————————————————————————————- We would like to thank all men in the music publishing sector for all their hard work and contribution. For more information, please contact: Helen Choudhury Head of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Champion of Menopause Mental Health First Aider [email protected] Some Helpful Links & Resources https://ukmensday.org.uk/ https://internationalmensday.com/ https://www.internationalmensday.info/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Men%27s_Day https://www.everywoman.com/my-development/podcast/podcast-international-mens-day-shouldnt-be-opposition-international-womens-day-dr-jerome/ PREVIOUS POST NEXT POST