Manulife Hong Kong and JUST FEEL Launch World Mental Health Day Campaign

Hong Kong – In support of World Mental Health Day on October 10, Manulife Hong Kong and JUST FEEL, a Hong Kong-based NGO dedicated to emotional education, have partnered to promote emotional well-being through a series of family education and community engagement initiatives. Anchored by the philosophy of the Compassionate Communication framework, the campaign features a parent seminar, an interactive workshop, and the city-wide “My Flag Day” initiative. Together, these initiatives encourage parents, children and the public to better understand and express their feelings, while fostering greater empathy and emotional well-being across the community.

The campaign will kick off with two complimentary public events, the Compassionate Communication Parent Seminar and the Interactive Workshop, on October 3. The parent seminar, “Parents Get Tired Too: Self-Care before Childcare”, aims to help parents better understand their own feelings and needs. It will explore how practicing self-care amid stress can help parents respond to their children with greater understanding and empathy, fostering healthier and more nurturing relationships.

The accompanying interactive workshop, Unlock the Dialogue: Reconnecting with Your Child,” will use relatable real-life scenarios and interactive exercises to help parents practice Compassionate Communication in everyday family life. Through hands-on practice with the JUST FEEL Feelings & Needs Cards (Bear Hug Edition), parents will learn practical ways to initiate more open and genuine conversations by tuning into their children’s feelings and needs.

To further promote emotional well-being across the community, the city-wide initiative “My Flag Day” will be held on October 10. A total of 500 parent-child volunteers will engage more than 10,000 members of the public, distributing free feeling flags designed by local primary school students through the “My Flag Day” Flag Paper Design Competition held earlier this year.

Members of the public will be invited to choose a flag that reflects how they feel at that moment, whether joyful, contented, relaxed, tired, worried or sad, providing a simple way to express their unspoken feelings and spark meaningful conversations. In addition, volunteers will distribute a Self-Connection Tracker, encouraging a week of simple daily reflection to help people better understand their emotions and develop self-care practices. These initiatives encourage people to pause amid their busy lives, reflect on their feelings, and raise awareness of the importance of emotional well-being.

“Emotional well-being is a vital part of living a healthy and empowered life, and it begins with ongoing self-awareness and practice. At Manulife Hong Kong, we are committed to investing in community partnerships that support holistic health and drive action around longevity. Through the World Mental Health Day Campaign with JUST FEEL, we hope to encourage parents to understand, express and embrace their feelings, while extending greater care to themselves, their children and others, helping to build healthier relationships, stronger communities and better lives,” said Alice Ma, Chief Marketing Officer for Manulife Hong Kong and Macau.

“Parents' well-being and how a family communicates deeply shape a child’s growth. When adults take a moment to care for themselves first, they can show up for their children with a grounded state to truly hear and embrace their children’s feelings and needs, creating a home where children feel safe, heard and supported. Through the upcoming My Flag Day and our Compassionate Communication parent seminar and workshop co-organized with Manulife Hong Kong, JUST FEEL hopes to bring empathy beyond schools into more families and the wider community.” said Raymond Yang, Co-founder and Executive Director of JUST FEEL.

This partnership supports emotional education initiatives for students, teachers and parents, helping to foster a “Compassionate School Culture”. Through public engagement activities, it also seeks to encourage conversations and raise awareness of emotional well-being across the wider community. This initiative aligns to the Manulife Longevity Institute, a global research, thought leadership, innovation, advocacy, and community investment platform that aims to advance action on helping people live longer, healthier, more financially secure lives.

Manulife x JUST FEEL World Mental Health Day Campaign:

1. Compassionate Communication Parent Seminar and Interactive Workshop

Parent Seminar: “Parents Get Tired Too: Self-Care before Childcare” * 
Date: October 3, 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 3pm – 4pm
Venue: Hong Thai Expo and Business Centre (5/F, United Centre, Admiralty, Hong Kong)
Target Audience: Parents of children aged 6-12
Fee: Free of charge
Speaker: Raymond Yang, Co-founder and Executive Director of JUST FEEL
Language: Cantonese
Registration Link: https://world-mental-health-day-campaign.eventbrite.hk

Interactive Workshop: “Unlock the Dialogue: Reconnecting with Your Child” ^*

Date: October 3, 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 4:15pm – 5:15pm
Venue:  Hong Thai Expo and Business Centre (5/F, United Centre, Admiralty, Hong Kong)
Target Audience: Parents of children aged 6-12
Fee: Free of charge (A HK$50 refundable deposit will be collected upon registration and refunded in full upon attendance, please refer to the registration link for further details.)
Language: Cantonese
Registration Link: https://world-mental-health-day-campaign.eventbrite.hk

^*Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Each attending parent will receive a complimentary set of JUST FEEL Feelings & Needs Cards (Bear Hug Edition). Subject to the terms and conditions.

2. “My Flag Day 2026” ^**

Date: October 10, 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 10am – 12pm
Venue: Multiple districts across Hong Kong

^**This event is dedicated to promoting mental health awareness. Flag papers will be distributed to the public free of charge; no fundraising or donation solicitations will be conducted.