The XX World Congress of pastoral social support helplines (Telefonseelsorge) opening in Aachen today will end on July 22nd. 1,600 helpline volunteers from 33 countries will come to the congress, inspired by the motto “For life to go on”. The congress is held to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the birth of “Telefonseelsorge” in Germany. An ecumenical network was set up in Berlin in 1956, which can now rely on over 100 telephone helplines and 8 thousand volunteers with 200 full-time supervisors. The service is run by the Catholic and Evangelical Churches, working in perfect harmony and coordination. The theme of the Congress reflects the efforts of over 21,000 volunteers working all over the world to support people with mental disorders. Such transnational contacts began in 1967, when the International Federation of emergency helplines (Ifotes) was founded in Geneva, and now its XX Congress will be ealing with the two key tasks of those media that work to support people with mental disorders: how to be travelling companions to people with suicidal thoughts, and how to strengthen people’s emotional balance. The themes of the 3 days will be: “Why does speaking and listening help? How to listen and ask questions? What is life like after a tragic loss”.