World Health Day takes place annually on April 7 to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO). On this day, WHO invites everyone, from global leaders to the public, to take action to address a single health challenge with global impact. Each year, this global campaign focuses on a different health theme that specifically highlights a priority area for WHO. Past themes have addressed a range of topics including, urbanization in health, making hospitals safe in emergencies, and protecting health from climate change. By focusing on new and emerging health issues, World Health Day provides an opportunity to start collective action to protect people's health and well-being.

This year's World Health Day will focus on healthy aging. Life expectancy is going up in most countries, meaning more and more people live longer and enter an age when they may need health care. Meanwhile, birth rates are generally falling. Countries and health care systems will need to find innovative and sustainable ways to cope with the demographic shift. The World Health Day activities throughout the world will focus on aging and health, raising awareness of what individuals and governments can do to promote active and healthy aging.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with the Pan American Health and Education Foundation, will commemorate the 2012 World Health Day on Thursday, April 12, with a Health Aging Symposium at 9:30 a.m. at PAHO's Headquarters in Washington, DC.

For more information, please visit: www.paho.org/whd2012. Please RSVP to Ms. Ashley Rowe at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The event can also be watched online: Livestream: www.livestream.com/paho

Elluminate in English: http://www.paho.org/virtual/WHD2012

Elluminate in Spanish: http://www.paho.org/virtual/DMS2012