Live Webinar

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Program 13:00, Close 14:00 (HK Time / GMT +8)

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the entire world. With Hong Kong experiencing its third wave of COVID-19, individuals have been confined to their homes, faced with the task of coping with anxiety or fear from the changes that are happening, without the support system of regular social engagement and activities. With the amount of uncertainties we face every day, we all need to navigate its implications, while taking care of our mental health.

According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 people are affected by mental or neurological disorders at least once in their lives. If we put that in context, about 2 million individuals in Hong Kong have been directly or indirectly affected by a mental disorder. Unfortunately, there are stigmas surrounding mental health and sometimes it could be difficult to open up. So what can we, the general public, possibly do?

The Asia Society Hong Kong Center aims to raise awareness on mental health in Hong Kong by collaborating with different mental health experts and organizations. We hope to provide practical tips to help participants during the COVID-19 crisis and spread awareness on this topic.

Vivek Mahbubani is best known as Hong Kong's top English and Cantonese stand-up comedian. Being bi-lingual allows him to both laugh and get offended in multiple languages. Vivek performs all over Asia. Having been crowned the Funniest Person (in Chinese) in Hong Kong in 2007 followed by his victory in the English category at the Hong Kong International Comedy Competition in 2008, Vivek has had the opportunity to take his sense of humor all over the world including Hong Kong, China, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Australia, Canada and USA.

Having been ranked as the top comedian in Hong Kong, in 2014, the World Famous Laugh Factory in USA ranked Vivek as one of the top 10 comedians in their Annual Funniest Person in the World Competition.

His favorite book is Sun Tzu's Art of War, yet his most preferred color is, oddly, hot pink.

Winnie W. S. Mak Having experienced stigma due to my identities make me realized human beings should not be labelled and discriminated against just because of who they are. My lived experience with anxiety and depression also makes me embrace my uniqueness as a person. I strive to use research and other means to promote individual and collective well-being and eradicate stigma. Prof. Winnie Mak is currently a Professor in the Department of Psychology of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science, and a co-founder of StoryTaler說書人, a social enterprise on mental health promotion and stigma reduction. Through the Jockey Club TourHeart Project (www.jctourheart.org), she developed the first online stepped care mental health system for working adults in Hong Kong.

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