Introduction
World Health Day was created in 1948 by the First World Health Assembly to mark the founding of the World Health Organization. World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April annually and serves to raise awareness of key global public health challenges. Each year, the Organization selects a key global health issue and organizes international, regional and local events on the Day and throughout the year to highlight the selected area.
Recognizing this challenge, the Greek Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity designed a communication program that includes a series of publicity actions to inform citizens and raise awareness for specific health issues celebrated on each World Health Day (e.g. Alzheimer, AIDS, Breast Cancer, Smoking, Diet, Psoriasis, Osteoarthritis etc).

The Participants
The World Health Days program constitutes a unique opportunity for medical institutions, non-governmental organizations, public health professionals, field experts, policy makers, high-level civil servants in related ministries, national counterparts, media representatives and pharmaceutical companies to collaborate and join forces towards public welfare under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity.

iThe Objective
The program aims at raising awareness for important health issues and encouraging people to get informed about these important health issues and diseases and become proactive.

The Launching of the Program - Campaign Actions

World Health Day - 7 April 2008

• Press Conference

To celebrate the 2008 World Health Day on Monday April 7th, the Minister of Health and Social Solidarity, Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos invited more than 1,500 people at the MPC, to a press conference introducing the Program "World Health Days". He encouraged everyone to invest in health in order to build a safe future. There, he also announced the new law against smoking. The press conference resulted in over 30 newspaper articles (press releases) and over 20 TV reports.

• 7-13 April 2008 "Health Park" at Syntagma Square

A large “Health Park”, complete with information kiosks of scientific institutions, medical companies, associations of patients and pharmaceutical companies was set up in the heart of Athens, at Syntagma Square. For a whole week, thousands of citizens that daily pass by the centre of Athens had the opportunity of getting informed, while visiting the kiosks.

In addition to the information kiosks, an exhibition of historical medical posters was held, presenting the priorities of public health through the decades, from the beginning of the 20th century, where people were dying of tuberculosis, to the campaigns at the end of the 20 century, where people are dying of AIDS.

• Portal: www.worldhealthdays.gr

For the World health Days project, a special portal was designed and set up (www.worldhealthdays.gr), featuring informative content on the causes, prevention and treatment of various diseases. For each world health day that is celebrated within the framework of the programme, the site features a new section dedicated to it

• 2008 World Health Day Free press

For the commemoration of the 2008 World Health Day a modern 40-page free press newspaper was created and distributed at the Syntagma Health Park and at central metro stations around Athens. Featuring valuable information on several health risks, the free press was instrumental at disseminating key messages

• Printed informative campaign on health issues with special publications

Printed informative and educational material was handed out to the public from the kiosks that were set up at Syntagma square.

In addition, for every world health day included in the WHD programme, a special leaflet is produced and distributed to key audiences, informing people about health risks and options. A special section, elaborating on those topics, is published in a daily newspaper, further aiding in the information dissemination