World Heart Federation : Global Youth Network
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WORLD HEART FEDERATION HELPS START GLOBAL YOUTH NETWORK

The Youth for Health (Y4H) network was launched at the end of the first Global Youth Meet on Health. More than 160 youth health activists from 35 countries attended the meeting, which was held from 14 to 19 November 2006 in New Delhi and Agra, India. Participants discussed health issues and received advocacy training.

The international symposium was organized by the Indian nongovernmental organization HRIDAY-SHAN (Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth – Student Health Action Network), in partnership with the World Heart Federation and a number of other organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Oxford Health Alliance, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank. HRIDAY-SHAN, which has over a decade of experience coordinating youth health activism in India, will coordinate the network's activities.

World Heart Federation sponsors youth teams

The World Heart Federation supported teams of youths and adult chaperons from Argentina, Colombia, Georgia, Mexico, South Africa and Uruguay. In addition, it assisted teams sent by member organizations from Indonesia and Pakistan. Heart foundations from Belgium and Singapore also sent teams.

Heart health high on agenda

Focusing on problems of tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity, the symposium also covered important health issues such as HIV/AIDS, protection of the environment, road safety and violent conflict.

At the end of the meet, participants agreed upon the Y4H charter, whose recommendations included:

  • Advocating for a comprehensive, global ban on smoking in public places.
  • Urging celebrities to refrain from endorsing or promoting such harmful products as junk foods and carbonated drinks.
  • Launching campaigns to eliminate the use of trans fats and to lower the quantity of salt and sugar in food products.
  • Advocating for policies that increase the availability of fruits and vegetables at affordable prices.
  • Switching over to healthy foods in school cafeterias.

"The birth of a global movement of youth health advocacy augurs well for correcting social and economic distortions that are damaging the health of the younger generation,” said Prof. K. Srinath Reddy, executive director of HRIDAY-SHAN and Chairman of the World Heart Federation’s Foundations Advisory Board. “The youth have finally decided to take charge of shaping their future in a healthier form and have begun demanding policies which will protect their present and future health.

The World Heart Federation plans to work with the Latin American teams, its continental and national members in Latin America and the philanthropists Julio Mario and Beatrice Santo Domingo to develop a youth health advocacy network for the region, said Chief Executive Officer Janet Voûte.

For more information about “Y4H” and the Global Youth Meet on Health visit the HRIDAY-SHAN web site at www.hriday-shan.org or www.worldheart.org/awareness-gym.php

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