The challenge

Mental health is difficult to talk about anywhere, but in the UAE the issue carries an added layer of cultural stigma. For many people, feelings such as anxiety, stress and depression are not just hard to articulate — they can feel private, confusing and socially difficult to acknowledge. Research behind the project showed that a more direct, Western-style awareness campaign would not land in the same way locally. The challenge was to create something that could open the conversation more gently, in a form that felt safe, thoughtful and culturally aware.

The idea

The answer was not to ask people to immediately “speak up,” but to create a space where they could first recognise themselves privately. Unspoken UAE took the form of a beautifully illustrated book built around the anonymised words of people receiving care through The Lighthouse. Rather than relying on conventional awareness messaging, the book used real statements and a wide range of visual interpretations to give shape to feelings that are often hard to name. Over 20 artists from across the region contributed illustrations, helping turn deeply personal experiences into something readers could connect with in a quiet, introspective way.

The outcome

The book was distributed to workplaces across the region as a tool to help employers support staff and to help individuals identify with feelings they may have struggled to express. It created a more culturally relevant and emotionally intelligent way into the conversation around mental health, using illustration and storytelling not just to raise awareness, but to make recognition possible. The project also received industry recognition, including a MENA Effies SME Recognition Award and a Dubai Lynx Bronze Award.