Brief
ICRC Uses Art to Amplify Voices of Families of the Missing on World Mental Health Day
The International Committee of the Red Cross organised a railway‑station themed art project in Jordan, letting Syrian families of missing relatives express their experiences.
By Felo News Desk · Published
On 10 October, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) marked World Mental Health Day in Jordan with a railway‑station themed art event that gave Syrian families of missing relatives a platform to share their stories, the ICRC said.
The event, held under the International Day of the Disappeared theme “The Journey of Families of the Missing”, was designed after focus‑group consultations with families living in Jordan whose loved ones vanished during the Syrian conflict. Participants described their experience as a journey with four stations: the disappearance and search for answers; migration and ensuing uncertainty; the psychological, social and economic impact of ambiguous loss; and a new, unfinished beginning.
Families created artworks over four months, each piece reflecting an emotion, experience or message. The ICRC explained that the train carriages symbolised the three main stages of the journey, while the fourth station represented hope for a future that remains open‑ended. The artworks were displayed at a mock railway station, allowing visitors to walk through the narrative and witness the resilience of the families.
As part of its accompaniment programme, the ICRC provided psychological and social support to the families. After attending mental‑health and psychosocial‑support sessions, some family members became “accompaniers”, facilitating activities for others facing similar loss. The ICRC noted that the programme fostered a safe space where families could share food, stories and coping strategies, organise themselves and collectively refuse to let the memory of their loved ones fade.
The ICRC highlighted that the event not only gave a tangible form to the pain and hope of the families but also reinforced the organisation’s broader mandate to support people affected by armed conflict. By turning personal grief into public art, the ICRC said it aimed to make the world feel the families’ pain and keep the issue of missing persons on the international agenda.
Key facts
- World Mental Health Day was observed on 10 October 2026 with the theme “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change”. (icrc.org)
- The ICRC held an art event in Jordan themed around a railway station to represent the journey of families of the missing. (icrc.org)
- Four stations symbolised disappearance, migration, consequences of ambiguous loss, and a new beginning. (icrc.org)
- Families created artworks over four months, each expressing an emotion or message about their missing loved ones. (icrc.org)
- Participants who completed psychosocial‑support sessions became accompaniers, helping others in the programme. (icrc.org)
Sources
- [1] icrc.org — originally reported as “World Mental Health Day: Art and Messages That Reach Beyond Borders”
