A class photo that turns a suicide statistic into 26 faces
Every month, 26 young people in the Netherlands die by suicide, enough to empty a school class. It is the leading cause of death among young people in the country, and talking about it remains one of society's biggest taboos.
113 Zelfmoordpreventie and creative agency N=5 turned that statistic into a class photo: one portrait made up of 26 real young people who died by suicide, brought together by the families they left behind. Each face carries a lesson, an early warning sign a parent, sibling or friend recognised too late, shared so others can catch it in time. The 26 lessons are collected at lessenvoorhetleven.com, alongside a 90-second TVC and an extended documentary version.
Within 24 hours, the campaign triggered a national debate and a ministerial commitment to improve prevention policy. Calls to 113 rose by 12.5%, most of them from people close to someone at risk, looking for the right words to start the conversation. The campaign was picked up by 245+ publications, and 113 experts now teach the lessons directly in Dutch classrooms, together with the families themselves.
Learn more at: lessenvoorhetleven.com
TVC:
Awards:
Cannes Lions 2026 Shortlist
(PR Lions, Not-for-Profit / Charity / Government)
Ster Gouden Loeki nomination
(the first suicide prevention campaign nominated in the award's history)
Client: 113 Zelfmoordpreventie
Agency: N=5