Young people made a film about loneliness — and the world's biggest companies are amplifying it

For World Mental Health Day on October 10, UNICEF's Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health — the largest business alliance for young people's mental health, founded in 2022 with the Z Zurich Foundation — is launching its first global campaign, "Turn Down the Noise." Eight companies, from lululemon and Spotify to Sony and Pinterest, with newcomer Movember, have put in more than $40 million toward a goal of reaching 150 million young people in 150 countries by 2030. The centerpiece is an 85-second film written, directed, and performed by young people themselves, about the "inner noise" — the voice that talks you out of reaching out to someone. A hub at TurnDownTheNoise.global went live this week in five languages with daily connection challenges. The World Health Organization estimates 17 to 21 percent of 13- to 29-year-olds feel lonely; the campaign is pitched as a first, low-pressure step, not a substitute for professional help.