On April 3rd, I was honored to attend an event led by Ambassador H.E. Cornel FERUTA of Romania, featuring powerful keynotes by Andrew Solomon and Devora Kestel. Andrew Solomon is a renowned writer and lecturer on psychology, politics, and the arts, while Devora Kestel serves as the Director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Use at the World Health Organization, and they both shared their expertise on youth mental health. The event, held at the United Nations centered on the theme “Mental Health of Children and Young People: How Can We Do Better?“

I was given the floor to speak, and share my journey and why we must elevate the science, stories, and strategies for hope through an International Day of Hope.

You can watch the full video of the event here. I share my message about the need to teach hope to our youth  at 1:50:08. It is so important in these times of crisis that we work together to activate these skills, as hope is a protective factor for anxiety, depression, addiction, and suicide.

Attending my talk was a supporter of the International Day of Hope, Chef Grace Ramirez, who is an Ambassador for the World Central Kitchen. Just the prior day, seven of her team members were killed in Gaza delivering aid. What an absolute tragedy. Devastating. I don’t have words.

While it is easy to crawl under the covers, it is in precisely these moments of great challenge we must not abandon hope. Instead, we must double down on our efforts to ensure all know how to get back to hope. We must work on our Shine Hope skills, and teach others to do the same, even when faced with dire circumstances.

One of the ways I further activate the Shine Hope skills and Hope Science is through The Hope Matrix Podcast. This week, I have the honor of talking to Dr. Dan Tomasulo, an esteemed psychologist, professor, speaker, and author of ‘Learned Hopefulness’ and ‘The Positivity Effect’. He is also one of the experts in our Hopeful Mindsets on the College Campus Course. He has taught me so much about hope, and in this episode, we explore the transformative power of hope and practical strategies for nurturing it in our lives.

You can listen to the episode and explore Dr. Tomasulo’s work here.

We’re working towards an official resolution from the United Nations to establish the International Day of Hope. Here’s how you can help and get involved in activating hope in your community:

1. Encourage your leaders to support the Resolution: Urge local leaders, mayors, governors, schools, and your UN Country Ambassador to issue proclamations declaring their support for the International Day of Hope.

2. Spread Hope by putting up Yard Signs and planting Sunflower Gardens: Show your support by displaying hope-themed yard signs or creating sunflower gardens in your neighborhood.

3. Teach Hope using the Hopeful Minds Curriculum: Engage in workplace educational programs, classroom teachings of Hopeful Minds, and community events focused on promoting hope science.

4. Write and share your Hope Story: Your story is powerful, so consider writing and sharing your Hope Story. Download our template to show you how. We don’t want to just share with people what we went through, we want to share the skills and strategies we used to get to the other side.

5. Watch and Share the International Day of Hope Videos: We have video recordings of the powerful talks from last year’s International Day of Hope event. Help us spread each speaker’s message!

6. Join the Five-Day Global Hope Challenge: Participate in daily challenges aimed at nurturing hope in your life and community. Share your journey on social media using the hashtag #InternationalDayofHope and #GlobalHopeChallenge. Encourage others to take the challenge.

Together, we can make a difference and spread hope to every corner of the globe. Visit www.hopefulcities.org and www.internationaldayofhope.com to learn more about how you can activate hope in your city or community.

Thank you so much for your continuous support!

Keep Shining,

Kathryn

Kathryn Goetzke, MBA

• CEO & Chief Hope Officer, The Shine Hope Company
• Author of The Biggest Little Book About Hope
• Founder of International Foundation for Research and Education on Hope (iFred)
• Creator of Hopeful Cities, and Hopeful Minds
• Creator of Hopeful Mindsets Overview, Hopeful Mindsets in the Workplace Overview,  and Hopeful Mindsets on the College Campus Course
• Podcast host of The Hope Matrix
• Chief Mood Officer, The Mood Factory (taking a break, for hope!)
• www.kathryngoetzke.com