Tips for organizing activities
This year's World Heart Day will be celebrated on Sunday, 30 September 2007. The theme is "Team Up for Healthy Hearts!"
Communities of all kinds--families, schools, neighborhoods, social groups, workplaces and religious circles--play an important role in helping individuals to establish and maintain healthy habits and reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease. That's why this year's World Heart Day activities will be aimed at encouraging people to join together to create supportive, heart-healthy communities for a healthier future.
Aims and objectives
- Raise awareness of cardiovascular disease risk factors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and tobacco use, alcohol abuse, lack of fruits and vegetables in diet, obesity/overweight
- Promote ways to reduce these risks through lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity, healthier diets and quitting smoking
- Find ways that people can work together to help one another achieve these goals
- Create momentum for change on a global scale, starting at the grassroots level
Where to start
- Collect up-to-date information on cardiovascular risk factors in your country or region. Try starting with our online section on Cardiovascular Health. Other good sources are national ministries of health, the World Health Organization, the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative and the International Obesity Task Force.
- Identify your target audience. Identify different types of communities (i.e. families, schools, clubs, community/civic groups, religious circles, workplaces, etc.) that you can try to mobilize for collective action.
- Define your key messages. These should relate to the World Heart Day theme and specifically to your local community. Try to formulate them in an attention-grabbing way to maximize impact.
- Decide on the types of activities you would like to organize. Click here for a list of ideas>
- Find help--ask other people and/or organizations who share your goals to join you in organizing World Heart Day activities.
Organizing your activities
Making your message tangible - Once you have the background information, compose an attention-grabbing message for potential supporters and participants in your activities. Carefully outline the impact of the risk factors and the cardiovascular disease burden in your country or region and the activities you would like to organize to make a difference. Use your local context to propose activities e.g. suggest traditional dance as a physical activity or stress healthy local meals as a good substitute for fast food.
Choose a slogan and a design - The World Heart Federation encourages the use of the slogan “Team Up for Healthy Hearts!” translated into different languages as well as the use of the marketing material available on the WHF CD-ROM campaign kit (sent to WHF members). This can be adapted to fit the local context.
Logistics must be planned well in advance - Depending on the activity planned, certain logistical arrangements will need to be made: blocking the street to traffic, hiring a bandstand, obtaining permission to set up stands in the street, shopping centres, schools...All this takes time and the appropriate decision-makers must be contacted.
Gathering support
Identify the main organizations and individuals in your country, region or city who would be most likely to offer their support. This support may be symbolic, logistical, financial or as a co-organizer or spokesperson. It should contribute to the positive image of World Heart Day.
Supporters may include the Minister of Health, the mayor, city council, school board, teachers, local sports club, health clinics, key opinion leaders, high-profile cardiologist, celebrities or politicians.
Choose well-known and respected individuals who have adopted positive healthy lifestyles (e.g. not a smoker) and are able to attract positive attention. Inform spokespersons of the key messages for the event to be sure that everyone will disseminate the same message.
Making contact - Now that you have chosen your key contacts, your main message and the activities you propose can be sent by email or post, or delivered in person to your supporters. Suggest how exactly you would like them to participate in your plans (e.g. as a spokesperson, a co-organizer, a sponsor, etc.).
If you receive no response, follow up with a phone call suggesting a meeting to discuss your ideas. Make sure they are aware of the impact of the World Heart Day message on the whole population in question.
Spreading the word
The next step is to draw the public or your chosen audience to participate in your activities. The media can be the most effective tool for increasing awareness of your message and your event.
Press releases provided by the World Heart Federation can be sent out to media outlets; however the local media are more likely to be attracted to the story if it has a local element.
Items tend to be considered newsworthy if they are new, compelling, surprising or have an impact on a large number of people. Celebrities or high-profile individuals also draw media attention. Pay close attention to the accuracy of the material you are sending out.
Press conferences are an effective means of drawing media attention. Below are some helpful organizational hints.
- Choose a date and time for the conference in the days leading up to your main event. Make sure that there are no other important events happening at the same time.
- Identify the main media contacts to invite to the conference: press (national, local newspapers and magazines), television and radio. Remember to include news agencies (wire services).
- Send invitations and follow-up with a phone call to confirm attendance.
- Prepare a media kit, including such material as press releases, speeches, background information, fact sheets, biographies, photographs, contact names (spokespersons) for further information.
- Focus the key presentations and questions on your main messages. Have answers to possible questions prepared in advance.
- Make practical arrangements such as reserving the venue in advance, name-signs for speakers, audiovisual equipment.
- Try to persuade as many journalists as possible to cover the event on the day and obtain widespread coverage. This will help reinforce your main message and is an effective means of ensuring that you have an even more successful event the following year.