World Mental Health Day: A Call for Empathy, Awareness, and Action in the Classroom

October 10 | A Message for Educators

By: Rachel Metalin, Manager, Professional Learning

Every year on October 10, World Mental Health Day offers people everywhere an official framework for reflecting on the importance of mental well-being, reducing stigma and advocacy for equitable access to mental health support for all. As educators, we know that mental health is not peripheral to learning — it’s foundational. Students cannot thrive academically if they are struggling emotionally.

At Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, we approach education through the lens of human rights, empathy and moral responsibility. In teaching about the Holocaust, we are not only preserving history — we are shaping students’ capacity for compassion and resilience. These same values are vital in supporting mental health in our schools.

The Holocaust is a history of unimaginable cruelty, tragedy and trauma, but also of resistance, courage and humanity. Survivors have taught us that healing is possible through storytelling, community and connection. These lessons are just as relevant today, as we grapple with rising rates of anxiety, depression, and isolation among youth — particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic and amid global uncertainty.

This World Mental Health Day, we encourage you to create space in your classrooms for care and conversation. Consider integrating discussions that validate students’ emotional experiences while also connecting them to broader human rights themes. Provide opportunities for students to explore how empathy, civic responsibility and historical awareness can build more inclusive, mentally healthy communities.

As educators, your own well-being matters, too. Holding space for others can be emotionally taxing, especially when addressing heavy topics like racism, antisemitism, hate and genocide. We urge you to prioritize self-care, seek support and foster networks of solidarity with your peers.

Let this day be a reminder: promoting mental health is not separate from the work of Holocaust and human rights education — it is essential to it. When we teach students to recognize the dignity in every person, including themselves, we lay the groundwork for a safer, more just world.

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