| Event Details | Welcome to our second World Heart Day
30 September 2001
Following the overwhelming response to the first World Heart Day, plans for the second World Heart Day to be held on 30 September 2001 are well underway. Throughout the year the World Heart Federation's quarterly journal Heartbeat has kept everyone informed about the events organised by our national societies and heart foundations. The astounding success of the first World Heart Day, and the enthusiasm and originality of activities, are undoubtedly an encouragement to keep the Day as a annual event, with the co-sponsorship of the World Health Organisation and UNESCO.
Our wish for this year is to convince All our members to participate by holding some type of activity on World Heart Day 30 September 2001 and spread the message worldwide that prevention and control of heart disease and stroke may help everyone have a longer and better life. Last year, 77 countries took part in World Heart Day - over two-thirds of our membership. Let's try to reach a hundred per cent participation on 30 September 2001.
The 2001 motto is 'a heart for life'. It will take us from last year's theme of physical activity to the more comprehensive message of healthy lifestyles and, in an attempt to promote prevention of cardiovascular diseases and to improve quality of life, it will encompass all risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, stroke, cholesterol and lack of exercise. 'A heart for life' will make it possible for our members to organise a Day of their choice, be it with walks, talks, aerobics sessions, dance competitions, press, radio and TV coverage, education programmes or even health screenings. Let us know about your plans and we will post the information on this website.
We cannot emphasise enough the risk factors and the importance of adopting preventive measures that have been clearly shown to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and, as a result, to improve quality of life for all of us. As a means of prevention, healthy lifestyles will help people to live longer and better. Furthermore, a reduction in cardiovascular disease incidence will have a positive impact on health budgets, something which is especially important in developing countries.
Holding a World Heart Day is the best global strategy for spreading the message about cardiovascular diseases, how they can be avoided and how healthy lifestyles can help to do this. By reaching more people, it may be possible to quell the growing epidemic of these diseases worldwide. To do this, we need you to help spread the word and give us your input. Partners in World Heart Day activities would be more than welcome, whether NGOs, nursing associations, government agencies, etc.
One means of keeping everyone informed is the WHD Newsletter, which is sent regularly to our members to inform them about preparations for WHD 2001. The website is a further tool and will display all the ongoing activities of our national members as well as any other relevant information. Please send us news about the events you are planning. Our professional PR agency has worked out concepts for a new leaflet and poster. All publicity material will be contained on a CD-ROM and it will be sent to member organisations.
The World Heart Federation and the Organising Committee of WHD wish to extend their grateful thanks to their generous sponsors for their support.
The clock is ticking. We should get a move on now so that WHD 2001 will be an even greater success than last year! |
