Lucerne: mental health day on October 10

Benches for mental health conversations near Matthäuskirche in Lucerne

## TL;DR - October 10, 2026: cantonal day in Lucerne - From 10 to 16 at the Matthäuskirche in the old town - Free admission and no reservation required - Talks

Context

TL;DR

  • October 10, 2026: cantonal day in Lucerne
  • From 10 to 16 at the Matthäuskirche in the old town
  • Free admission and no reservation required
  • Talks from 11, every hour on the hour

Key facts

  • What → «Wir reden weiter!»
  • When → Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 10 to 16
  • Where → Matthäuskirche, Lucerne Old Town
  • Topic → mental health
  • Conversations → from 11, every hour on the hour
  • Access → public, free, no registration

On Saturday, October 10, 2026, the Canton of Lucerne is organizing an action day dedicated to mental health at the Matthäuskirche in Lucerne. The event coincides with International Mental Health Day and takes place in the old town under the motto «Wir reden weiter!». The initiative is being carried out together with partner organizations and is free of charge.

The central focus of the day is the «Wie geht’s Dir?» campaign. Through the initiative, the canton and the organizations involved want to bring mental health into the community and address it publicly. The stated objectives are to lower inhibitions, promote dialogue and draw attention to the importance of mental health.

The canton presents October 10 as a way to make the topic visible in the city’s everyday life. The initiative combines dialogue on benches, a route for visitors and an improvisation offering, while keeping the activities at the Matthäuskirche venue.

The program at the Matthäuskirche

Numerous activities organized by the participating organizations and institutions are planned at the Matthäuskirche. The moderated conversations on benches, the Bänkli-Gespräche, allow people directly involved, family members and professionals to offer insight into their own experiences and work.

The «Wie geht’s dir?»-Postenlauf is also planned for visitors. Along the station-based route, they can gather useful ideas for improving their mental health. The program also includes two improvisation artists from Improphil, who offer entertaining, thought-provoking and provocative encounters in a friendly tone.

Times and admission

The event takes place from 10 to 16. The bench conversations begin at 11 and then take place every hour on the hour. The event is open to the public, free of charge and requires no registration. Anyone looking for an overview of the program can find their way among the conversations, station-based route and improvisation directly at the Matthäuskirche. For a separate guide on the health topic, the website offers LAMal e cassa malati.

Operational details

What it means in practical terms

For those who live or work in the Canton of Lucerne, the decisive information is not only the theme of the day, but the practical schedule for access. The event remains open from 10 to 16, while the Bänkli-Gespräche have a separate starting time: the first appointment is at 11 and the meetings continue every hour on the hour. This difference makes it possible to choose whether to arrive for the overall program or focus on the moderated talks.

Three formats, one location

Those who want to hear lived experiences and professional perspectives can make their way to the benches. The source identifies three groups involved in the conversations: people directly affected, family members and specialists. The public thus encounters lived experiences, the perspective of those close to them and the work of those active in the field. This is the part of the initiative built around moderated dialogue.

The Postenlauf «Wie geht’s dir?» follows a different logic. It does not present the story of a single speaker, but offers visitors ideas for improving their mental health. Those who prefer a lighter element can instead turn to Improphil’s improvisations: the program describes them as fun, reflective and provocative encounters with a friendly tone. The three offerings coexist at the same event at the Matthäuskirche.

Access without organizational obstacles

The day is open to the public, free of charge and requires no reservation. Participation therefore does not require a preliminary registration step. Visitors can find their way around the activities on site, keeping the announced times for the talks in mind. Free admission makes the event’s entry cost clear, while the 10-16 time slot defines the stated opening period.

The Canton and partner organizations are not merely presenting an informational event: the stated aim is to reduce inhibitions, foster dialogue and draw attention to the importance of mental health. For other topics in everyday life, separate from this day, the guide on costo della vita in Svizzera is available.

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Key points

How to organize your participation

The practical procedure starts with the details set out by the program. No reservation is needed: access is public and free, while the main choices concern the date, venue and activities.

Checklist for the visit

1. Mark Saturday, October 10, 2026 on your calendar and consider the general time slot from 10 to 16. 2. Refer to Matthäuskirche, in Lucerne’s old town: it is the designated location for the day’s activities. 3. If your aim is to attend the Bänkli-Gespräche, plan to participate starting at 11. The conversations begin at that time and continue every hour on the hour. 4. If you are looking for ideas for your mental health, head to the «Wie geht’s dir?»-Postenlauf, the station-based route planned for visitors. 5. If you prefer an encounter with an artistic component, consider the improvisations by the two Improphil artists, described as entertaining, thought-provoking and provocative, with a friendly tone.

The visit can therefore be planned according to your main interest. The benches are the designated place to listen to people directly involved, family members and professionals; the station-based route offers prompts for improving your mental health; Improphil adds a form of encounter based on improvisation. All these activities are part of the day organized by the Canton of Lucerne with partner organizations and institutions.

The simplest requirement remains access: no advance reservation is required and there is no cost. The day is open to the public and can be visited during the announced time slot. Before setting out, it is therefore advisable to check only the two announced time references: opening at 10 and conversations from 11 every hour on the hour.

For other practical tools on the site, try the calcolatore stipendio.

Source: nau.ch

Frequently Asked Questions
When and where does the «Wir reden weiter!» campaign take place?
It takes place on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the Matthäuskirche in Lucerne’s old town, from 10 to 16. The date coincides with International Mental Health Day. The Canton of Lucerne organizes the event together with partner organizations and presents it under the motto «We keep talking!». The day is free and open to the public.
Is admission free, and do I need to make a reservation?
Yes. The event is public, free, and can be attended without prior registration. This applies to the event at the Matthäuskirche from 10-16. The Bänkli-Gespräche, however, follow their own schedule: they start at 11 and are then held every hour on the hour. Anyone interested in the conversations should therefore keep the 11 start time in mind.
Who participates in the Bänkli-Gespräche?
The moderated conversations on the benches involve people directly affected, family members, and professionals. These participants offer insights into their own experiences and work. The format is part of the numerous activities organized at the Matthäuskirche by participating organizations and institutions, as part of the day dedicated to mental health. The discussion is open to the public.
What other activities are planned?
The «Wie geht’s dir?»-Postenlauf offers visitors useful suggestions for improving their mental health. There will also be improvisations by two Improphil artists, with encounters described as entertaining, reflective, and provocative, with a friendly tone. The activities take place as part of the free event at the Matthäuskirche, organized by the Canton of Lucerne together with partner organizations.

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