International Men’s Day 2022 theme announced

International Men’s Day 2022 will take place on Saturday 19 November. Our theme for International Men’s Day in Australia is “Celebrating Mateship” and our aim is to inspire more men to #MakeTime4Mates. 

Mateship is a key feature of Australian national identity and has a particular association with close male friendships.

Research shows that close friendships and social connections can promote good health. Our International Men’s Day 2022 theme aims to highlight the role mateship plays in helping men live longer, better, healthier lives. 

In Australian culture, mateship is often viewed as an archetypical masculine value and virtue. So many strengths-based, men’s health projects have harnessed this positive, masculine trait. 

For example, the men’s sheds movement, which was born in Australia, prides itself on providing a “safe and busy environment where men can [enjoy] an atmosphere of old-fashioned mateship”.

Meanwhile, MATES In Construction has been working to prevent suicide in male-dominated industries since 2008. MATES builds on the Aussie characteristic of mateship by giving workers the tools they need to look out for their mates’ mental health. 

Elsewhere, AMHF’s guide to male-friendly services makes the case that health programs that engage effectively with men, tend to work with masculine strengths such as helping others and being a good mate.

With this in mind, our International Men’s Day 2022 theme aims to inspire more men to #MakeTime4Mates and build better social connections by:

• Making time for old mates 

• Making time to make new mates 

• Reaching out to mates who are doing it tough

Some of the actions we’ll be taking to support these goals include:

• Inviting experts working with men to share their deeps on how men can strengthen existing friendships

• Asking men’s groups all over Australia to host International Men’s Day events that men can attend and make new social connections

• Creating a new guide on how to help a mate who’s doing it tough

• Publishing a new Know Your Man Facts toolkit on social connection and men’s health

If you want to get involved in International Men’s Day this year or want to list an event on our website, email [email protected]

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1. Name of your event
2. Date and time (start, finish)
3. Location (venue, street address, city and postcode)
4. Brief description

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