Flora Tissues and Sri Lanka Sumithrayo opened “The Wall of Unspoken Words” on World Mental Health Day, giving Sri Lanka a place to speak

Flora Tissues and Sri Lanka Sumithrayo have opened a public message wall at Colombo City Centre, inviting visitors to write words they had wanted to share but left unspoken.

The Wall of Unspoken Words formed part of their World Mental Health Day programme. Visitors wrote messages on paper serviettes and pinned them to the display, according to the organisers.

The activity was intended to encourage expression and draw attention to experiences that people may find difficult to discuss. Visitors also received green ribbon pins associated with mental health awareness.

Participants who wished to share their messages online were encouraged to use the hashtag WallOfUnspokenWords. The physical display brought contributions together in a public space within the shopping centre.

Sheshaya Surtani, head of strategy and corporate development at Pee Bee Management Services, said the initiative was intended to give people an opportunity to begin expressing concerns they had kept private.

He connected the company's involvement with its relationship with customers and families, describing the campaign as part of a wider responsibility towards the people using its products.

Sri Lanka Sumithrayo chairperson Suranjani Wickremaratne said volunteers regularly listened to people sharing experiences they had not previously discussed.

She said those contributing messages should be able to feel heard without being judged. The organisation described its role as providing confidential emotional support through listening and empathy.

Its volunteer approach is described as befriending, with an emphasis on giving people space to talk about distressing experiences. The organisers distinguished this support from clinical counselling.

World Mental Health Day fell on 10 October. The World Health Organization's 2026 campaign theme, Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change, calls for people with experience of mental health conditions to influence decisions about policies and services.

The Colombo activity used written contributions as its means of encouraging participation.