Ideas for World Heart Day activities
Try to tap every possible resource for ideas, including your staff and volunteers, partner organizations, sponsors and PR/advertising agencies. Remember, the best ideas can come from the most unexpected places!
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Ideas for World Heart Day activities
Risk factors/disseminating information
- Free risk factor screening (blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, waist measurement, glucose levels, etc.)
- Free/discounted health check-ups at local clinics or hospitals
- Open house(s) - heart association/foundations, cardiology clinics, etc.
- Public lecture/seminar/expert panel
- Telephone information hotline
- Research or campaign launch announcement
- Heart-health research project with results published following World Heart Day
- Online or paper survey with prize drawing
- Special publication (newsletter, special section on web site, etc.)
Sports and physical activity
- Sporting match - football, cricket, basketball, etc.
- Walk/run/swim
- Bicycle tour
- 'Car-free' or 'take the stairs' day
- Dance or sports 'marathon'
- Jump rope or hula hoop session
More activity ideas
- Art/essay contest
- Healthy food cooking demonstration
- Food tastings
- Fruit and vegetable market
- Heart festival or fair with interactive games for children
- Benefit concert
- Gala breakfast/lunch/dinner
- Fashion show
- Awards ceremony (e.g. for examples of healthy lifestyles)
Or try a combination of the above! For example, a walking path with free screening stations along the way and a prize drawing at the end. Don't forget to including fundraising as a part of every activity you plan.
Ideas for locations:
- Shopping centres/supermarkets
- Parks, walking paths
- Natural setting (forest, beach, mountain, national park)
- Town squares/city centres
- Railway stations
- Hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices
- Schools, community centres, office buildings
- Sports arenas, stadiums
- Festivals, fairs
- Parliament, city hall, government buildings
Try to use your regional networks, local clubs or other similar groups to expand activities beyond your city or town!
Ideas for sponsors:
- Professional sporting associations
- Insurance companies
- Sporting goods/equipment
- Medical equipment
- Food industry
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Advertising/publicity agencies, radio and television stations
- Lottery (national or other)
Ask for money and/or in-kind support, i.e. branded promotional materials, free or reduced-fee services, air-time, ads, etc. Another idea would be to propose activities that a company could run internally for its own employees. If a company is reluctant to sponsor public activities, this could be a good alternative and could also provide you with a 'foot in the door' for future collaboration.
Ideas for partnerships:
- Other health-related organizations, particularly related to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, obesity or physical activity
- Sports teams or organizations
- Local, regional or national government (e.g. mayor's office, members of parliament, ministries of health, first ladies)
- Community or civic organizations, clubs, or societies (e.g. Rotary Club, Lions Club, school parents' association)
Ideas for media coverage and publicity:
- Press releases
- Press conference prior to event
- Letter to the editor (newspaper)
- Fact-based article in Health or Science section of newspaper, or pullout section
- Radio talk show or special program
- Television interviews
- Public service announcement (television and radio)
- Creative placement of posters and billboards (bus, metro, pharmacies, faculties of medicine, sports stadiums, shopping centres and more)
- Involvement of public figures, athletes or celebrities in your event. Make sure that his/her image does not conflict with your key messages of healthy living and reducing cardiovascular risk
- Electronic postcards or chain emails (viral marketing)
Remember to include a local tie-in to your publicity and press materials. Choose one to three key messages and stick to them--more than three will only lead to confusion and a lack of focus.