The 20-year-old Tali Gawor has announced an eleven-day hike from Dresden to the Baltic Sea to encourage greater openness about suicide and mental health crises. The hike is scheduled to start on 14 November 2026, with stages planned as far as Greifswald and the coastal region. She confirmed the announcement in posts on MDR. As of: 7 November 2026.
Gawor says the initiative is rooted in personal experience. She lost a friend to suicide and has herself been through severe mental health crises. She says the support of those around her was crucial. Through the hike, she hopes to encourage people affected and their families to seek help early, while also raising awareness among people who can pass on information. The focus is not on the physical challenge, but on offering conversations along the route.
Gawor says she is sharing information about the route, stages and support on a website and through a campaign on GoFundMe . In early November, the campaign showed a total of €1,754 towards a target of €2,000. It was initially unclear whether, and which, local partners from counselling services, clinics or organisations would support the stops along the route.
The initiative comes amid a wider debate about suicide prevention in Germany. Expert committees and professional associations have been discussing recommendations for months on how professionals should respond to requests for assistance with suicide, as well as on making support easy to access. The background includes legal developments and new guidelines aimed at strengthening regional networks and opportunities for discussion, and removing barriers to accessing support. At the same time, the media and counselling services regularly point people in acute crisis towards places where they can get help.
In Germany, people experiencing acute suicidal thoughts can contact the TelefonSeelsorge on 0800 1110 111 and 0800 1110 222, or get in touch with regional crisis services, at any time of day or night. Family members can also contact these services. Gawor’s planned hike is intended as a visible public contribution to this prevention work, combining personal experience with direct conversation.
What kind of response the route between Saxony and the Baltic Sea receives, and whether it leads to lasting opportunities for people to meet and access counselling, will become clear when the hike begins and over the following days. For those affected and the people around them, it remains vital to know where to find reliable support and to make use of opportunities to talk at an early stage.
Editor: Clara Simonichek (Article created with AI assistance).