Darkness Into Light is an international charity walk aimed at taking away the stigma surrounding suicide and self-harm as well as raising funds for charities working in this area. Suicide among young people in the EU is particularly concerning – in 2014, it accounted for around 20% of deaths in young people from 15-29 years. In fact, it was higher than that from road accidents.

Founded by an organization called Pieta House in Ireland in 2009, Darkness into Light has since spread to 19 countries across 5 continents. For the first time, it will also take place this year in Luxembourg on Saturday 11 May. One of the organisers is Lynda Jacob, a colleague from Eurostat along with Caoimhe Alliot-Stenson of DGT.

Lynda says, “Symbolically the walk represents the journey from the darkness of depression (suicidal thoughts, self-harming behaviour) back into the light of hope.  This is why the walk of 5 kms starts at 5.00 in the morning, so that on the return we walk into the dawn.  It would be great if colleagues could walk with us and support us. The funds collected will be split between Pieta House, a non-profit organisation providing a specialised treatment programme for people who have suicidal thoughts or who engage in self-harm, and two local partner charities, the Service Information et Prévention of  D'Ligue, which runs the Prévention Suicide website, and SOS Détresse, who are helping us to promote the event.”

If you want to join Lynda, you can register online:
https://www.darknessintolight.ie/event/luxembourg

But if this isn't possible and you want to help, you can sponsor Lynda via her fundraising page:
https://www.darknessintolight.ie/fundraisers/lyndajacob/luxembourg.

This is a topic which Solidarité européenne/R&D Luxembourg takes particularly to heart.
We congratulate Lynda and Caoimhe Alliot-Stenson on this initiative and will certainly sponsor the walk.