Address mental health issues in early childhood - Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan

KUALA LUMPUR: Mental health issues need to be tackled in early childhood and adolescents to ensure children's resiliency in their adult years, said Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah.

The Green Ribbon Group co-founder and president said she believed that the outcome of resiliency is productivity, while with productivity comes a sense of joy and fulfilment.

She said it was true that no one knows what the future holds and people can reimagine the future of education along with work for youths, but everyone must be equally prepared to face the reality of today.

"Mental health is the foundation that we must get right. To our youths, our future leaders, the essence of my message today is to be bold; do not be afraid of the unknown. If the pandemic (COVID-19) has taught us anything, it is that things will pick up eventually.

"Second, recognition only comes from within. You are limitless if you want to be, you are capable. Third, we are our own agents of change; take the first step and the rest will follow," she said in her keynote address delivered virtually at the National Youth Convention 2021 + ASEAN ConnectKBK today.

Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan said the convention today exploited four streams, namely mental health awareness, the future of work, the future of education and the opportunities for young people in food security and sustainability.

According to media reports, Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan has been appointed the international patron for World Mental Health Day after accepting the invitation from the World Federation for Mental Health, with her royal patronage running until October 2021.

-- BERNAMA