IceMenia: Two Lands One Journey .Exploring Mental Health and Self Care
This joint team of young people from Armenia and Iceland has come together to explore mental health challenges among youth and to seek possible methods of prevention.
Whether under the mysterious glow of Iceland’s northern lights or among the green mountains of Armenia, the reality remains the same: young people face pressures coming from the educational system, social expectations, and the fast-paced world of social media. These pressures often lead to growing levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.
ICEMENIA was created to give voice to this concern. Together with their Icelandic peers, our Armenian participants developed the idea of
“IceMenia: Two Lands, One Journey – Exploring Mental Health and Self-Care.”
The project includes team gatherings first in Armenia and later in Iceland, awareness-raising campaigns, local community events, and more. Its aim is not only to explore mental health challenges but also to highlight practical ways of prevention. It creates a safe and inspiring space where young people can learn about self-care, discover themselves, and support their personal growth.
For us, ICEMENIA is more than just a project. It is a bridge between two cultures, united by one shared value — the mental well-being of young people.
Teams Meeting and Exchange in Armenia
The first meeting of the project took place in Armenia!
From 4.11.2025-11.11.2025 18 young people from Armenia and Iceland gathered in the colorful mountains of Tsaghkadzor to discuss the importance of mental health and the challenges faced in this field in both countries.
During the week-long program, they held workshops on personal physical, emotional, and social boundaries, discussed stress and coping strategies, explored effective methods for recognizing emotions and practicing self-care.
Emphasizing the importance of physical well-being, the teal also organized a mountain hike and a practical session on proper breathing techniques.
Participants tried out card games about mental health created by UniGrowth DC, such as “Myth or Reality?”, “Self-Care Compass”, “HumanNature: Reflections between Earth and Soul” and more. At the end of the week, all participants received a special gift from the hosting organization, the “Balance Within” Self-Care Journal.
The program concluded with an Armenian cultural evening, during which our northern guests got to know Armenian traditions, history, national dishes, and dances.
Before the second exchange, this time already in Iceland team members have time to share gained experience and knowledge with peers from their communities by organizing awareness raising campaigns .
AWARENESS RAISING CAMPAIGNS
Within the framework of the project, each team member implements an awareness-raising campaign, which can be carried out either online or offline. These campaigns aim to inspire and engage young people from different regions and communities across Armenia.
Through these awareness-raising meetings, we strive to normalize open discussions about mental health and well-being among young people. Interactive and game-based approaches, along with active discussions, help participants reconsider their perceptions of mental health, identify existing misconceptions, and recognize the importance of their own well-being as well as that of their peers. At the same time, these activities encourage young people to understand the important role and shared responsibility each of us has in supporting mental well-being.