Derry to host huge global conference on suicide prevention with up to 1000 visitors

By Ursula Duddy

World experts on suicide prevention will be coming to Derry next year to participate in what is expected to be the biggest conference the city has ever seen.

Delegates from 50 countries from every continent of the world will visit Derry when it hosts the 30th World Congress of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) next September with up to 1,000 visitors for the event.

The Derry bid was one of four shortlisted destinations including, Rome, Vienna and Piran, Slovenia, and after a competitive process the Executive committee have awarded the biennial World Congress to the city in 2019.

The five-day conference on the 17-21 September, 2019, is expected to attract over 600 International delegates to the city and generate an estimated £1.5m to the local economy.

Visit Derry Conference Ambassadors, Professor Siobhan O’Neill of Ulster University, Barry McGale of Suicide Bereavement UK and Professor Rory O’Connor of the University of Glasgow, in partnership with Visit Derry and Abbey Conference and Events made the successful bid.

The official announcement of the event was made at the Guildhall on Friday, where Professor Rory O’Connor of the University of Glasgow, said that as a native of Derry, he was delighted to see the city host the event on its first visit to Northern Ireland.

“This is the leading suicide prevention organisation in the world, as its name suggests; it’s a bi-annual conference and this is the first time it’s ever been held in Northern Ireland and we are really delighted,” he said.

“I’m a native of Derry, I’m from this city, and I’m a Professor of Psychology at the University of Glasgow. I’m also one of the Vice Presidents of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, so Siobhan, Barry and I have brought the conference to Derry.

“We delighted because suicide is a major public health issue in Derry and in Ireland in general and the world’s experts will descend on the city in September 2019. Not only will we be bringing expertise but we are keen to learn from the amazing work that’s going on in Ireland and Derry.”

Professor Siobhan O’Neill of Ulster University said that this prestigious conference will bolster the work that is already being done in the city to tackle issues surrounding suicide.

“There’s actually an enormous amount of really good work that’s being done in the city in terms of mental health and suicide prevention,” she said.

“We are hoping that this won’t just be an event for the city of Derry, this is an event for across Ireland and the UK. They can actually learn from us too because Derry pioneered some of the most promising suicide prevention ideas, they originated in this city.”

Barry McGale, of Suicide Bereavement UK, said that he was also delighted to see such a major conference come to Derry as the city has been held up as a beacon for tackling suicide and its surrounding issues.

“I understand people’s pessimism sometimes in the city but one of the things about this city and the surrounding areas is that globally it’s been held up as an example of good practice,” he said.

“We actually have led the way in developing new things, for instance, the services we developed here in the city to provide support here after a suicide has happened. That’s the model that’s now being rolled out throughout the UK and is actually being referred to as the Derry model.

“It’s a great honour to be selected to hold this conference and it was unanimous that we should be the city to hold it.”

Professor O’Neill and Professor O’Connor said that they hope to engage with the public to address suicide and the issues surrounding it and have asked the public to get in touch.

You can reach Professor O’Neill by telephone on 028 7012 3893 or email sm.oneill@ulster.ac.uk. Professor O’Connor can be emailed on Rory.OConnor@glasgow.ac.uk.

The IASP World Congress 2019 will take place in Derry on the 17-21 September 2019. Full conference details are available online www.iasp2019.com

If you or someone you know is in distress or despair, call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000. The helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also access the Lifeline website at www.lifelinehelpline.info

More information on looking after your mental health and the support which is available across Northern Ireland can be found at www.mindingyourhead.info.