In observance of World Mental Health Day, Prayatna Centre for Child Development, in collaboration with the Kochi Municipal Corporation, has launched an interactive outdoor installation titled How Is Kochi Feeling? at Subhash Park, Kochi. The initiative aims to encourage emotional awareness, promote open conversations about mental health and strengthen community well-being. T J Vinod, MLA, inaugurated the installation. Mayor Adv. Minimol V K and Councillor K V P Krishnakumar also attended the event.
Interactive Installation Encourages Emotional Expression
The How Is Kochi Feeling? installation features a series of transparent cylinders, each representing one of six emotional states: happiness, sadness, fear, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed and anger. Through this simple yet engaging activity, visitors can reflect on their current feelings and place a token in the cylinder that best represents their emotional state. The installation provides a welcoming space for people to acknowledge their emotions without fear of judgement. Furthermore, each cylinder has a corresponding basket containing motivational messages tailored to that particular emotion. After placing their tokens, participants can pick a message from the matching basket and take away words of encouragement suited to how they feel.
Prayatna Highlights the Importance of Emotional Awareness
Dr. Joseph Sunny Kunnacherry, Founder and Chairman of Prayatna, emphasized that recognising emotions is an essential first step towards better mental health. “Mental health begins with the simple act of recognising what we feel. Many people, including children, carry emotions they have never been given a way to express. This installation let people name their feelings without fear or judgement,” he said. The initiative highlights the importance of creating safe and supportive environments where children and adults can identify, acknowledge and communicate their emotions.
Community Participation Promotes Empathy and Well-being
The installation received an enthusiastic response from members of the public, who appreciated its simple yet meaningful approach to emotional well-being. By encouraging participants to identify their feelings and discover supportive messages, the activity helped create opportunities for reflection and connection. Minu, a participant, shared her experience, “I picked the overwhelmed cylinder without thinking twice. The note I drew from the basket was exactly what I needed to hear today.”
The initiative brought citizens together in a shared space for emotional reflection, empathy and collective healing. As per the press release, through this collaboration, Prayatna and the Kochi Municipal Corporation aim to reinforce the message that recognising emotions and expressing them openly are important steps towards better mental health.