ADJRA screens Votemos in Andorra to fight mental health stigma

ADJRA, the Andorran association for young people at risk, screened the film Votemos at the Illa Carlemany cinemas in Andorra la Vella as part of an effort to challenge the prejudice and stigma surrounding mental health. The free session drew institutional representatives, professionals from the social, health and education sectors, organisations and members of the public interested in the issue.

Speaking before the screening, ADJRA president Sandra Cano argued that no one should be defined by a diagnosis or feel ashamed to ask for help. She stressed the importance of information, dialogue and listening to citizens' concerns as a way of confronting stigma, and said mental health services should be embedded in neighbourhoods and everyday life so that people can access the care they need with dignity and respect.

Cano also called for a rethink of how society treats people facing difficulties. "We cannot talk about an inclusive society if we keep judging people for their differences," she said.

The event opened with board members and volunteers reading aloud the names of various mental illnesses and disorders, inviting the audience to reflect on how much they know about these conditions and the challenges faced by those living with them.

Cano said ADJRA focuses part of its work on prevention, protection and support for adolescents and young people in at-risk situations, underlining the importance of acting before difficulties become serious through early detection, listening and accompaniment.

The choice of Votemos reflected a wish to use cinema as a tool to question people's own prejudices and to promote empathy, respect and coexistence among people with different opinions and realities. Cano thanked Mossèn Ramon for a proposal made around a year and a half ago to introduce debate spaces after film screenings, an idea that helped shape the session.

The initiative was organised with the collaboration of the Illa Carlemany cinemas and the support of MyAndbank. ADJRA thanked both, along with the institutions, professionals, organisations and members of the public who took part. Cano summed up the message with a call to see mental health as an opportunity to improve social relations: "Mental health should not separate us. It should teach us to understand each other better."