The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is delighted to announce an updated awards scheme, reflecting the broad reach of the association and increasing inclusivity in its recognition of outstanding contributions to suicide prevention.
IASP Awards honour individuals who have significantly advanced the association’s mission, contributed to suicide prevention research, and enhanced understanding in the field. These awards are presented at the biennial IASP World Congress, celebrating excellence in leadership, research, advocacy, and innovation.
As part of this commitment, the IASP Executive Committee has introduced two new awards:
The IASP Lakshmi Vijayakumar Rising Star Award for Impact and Innovation
This award recognises early to mid-career professionals who have demonstrated notable impact, innovation, and contributions across sectors in suicide prevention.
Dr Lakshmi (as she is known in India) is the first IASP Board Member (VP 2001) elected from a low and middle income country. She brought to the association a wider and more in-depth wisdom of suicidal behaviours and prevention in a world without easy access to social and mental health support and where suicide is stigmatised. Lakshmi works across all sectors, as a psychiatrist and volunteer, in her commitment to suicide prevention; from government to community and from the people to national policy. There are no boundaries to her dedication and commitment to that of IASP.
Lakshmi founded SNEHA in 1986; an NGO suicide prevention crisis centre in Chennai as part of the global consortium of Befrienders International Samaritans worldwide. SNEHA volunteers have conscientiously provided emotional support for distressed and suicidal people for these past 39 years and more recently opened a postvention support group.
In difficult circumstances, Dr Lakshmi and volunteers from SNEHA provided both emotional support and psychiatric services in the aftermath of the 2001 Gujarati earthquake and later in 2004 the tragedy of Tsunami, that led to a further commitment to deliver community research, surveillance and interventions that eventuated successfully into a national suicide prevention strategy for India and subsequently advanced advocacy for decriminalisation of suicide in India.
An award in Dr Lakshmi’s name acknowledging notable and ongoing impact, innovation and contribution to the field (broad and cross-sectoral) of suicide prevention at early to mid-career level. This award seeks to empower the next generation of leaders, encouraging impactful, cross-sectoral contributions to suicide prevention.
The IASP Ella Arensman Special Lecture Award: Bridging the Gap between Research, Implementation and Policy.
This award, named in honour of Professor Ella Arensman, recognises individuals whose work bridges suicide research, policy, and real-world implementation. The awardee will deliver a special lecture at the IASP World Congress, highlighting multi-level collaboration in suicide prevention.
Professor Ella Arensman, as an active IASP member for 23 years, and a board member for 8 years, Ella was integral to the strategic development of IASP. In 2013 Ella was elected the first female IASP President.
Ella’s work is deeply imbedded in suicide research and prevention as well as development of strategy and policy. She was instrumental in developing the first real-time suicide surveillance system in Ireland, has worked nationally and globally with WHO in developing national strategies, advising and providing technical support and training in a range of countries, in Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, African and South American regions. Ella headed the EU funded 4-year initiative covering 11 countries in the MENTUPP project of which IASP was one of the partners.
During her tenure as IASP Vice President, Ella brought and encouraged mentorship opportunities for early and mid-career to our World Congresses through training initiatives such as Lunch with Experts and IASP-WHO Workshops on National Suicide Prevention Strategies.
This award ensures that her legacy of mentorship and cross-sector collaboration continues to inspire the next generation of suicide prevention professionals.
Nominations Now Open
Nominations for all IASP Awards will close at 5:00 PM EST on 23rd March 2025.
