Weekly health and fitness agenda: World Health Assembly, WalkOn RockOn, Hepatitis Day

May celebrates a host of health awareness days ranging from fitness, healthy lifestyle promotion and global health awareness. This week is all about global public health awareness with events centered around AIDS and Hepatitis plus WHO's 63rd World Health Assembly takes place. WalkOn RockOn challenges you to get fit in the next four weeks but offers some free support beginning May 17.

International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day
May 16
Worldwide

The 27th Annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day is the largest grassroots movement against the disease that creates awareness and hope with a single gesture: light a candle. Over 1,200 community organizations in 115 countries will host local memorials to honor those that lost the fight and raise awareness about AIDS: "33 million people living with HIV today, the Candlelight continues to serve as an important intervention for global solidarity, breaking down barriers, and giving hope to new generations." To find out what is taking place in your area or to dedicate a virtual candle, go to: http://www.candlelightmemorial.org

63rd World Health Assembly
May 17-20
WHO, Geneva, Switzerland

Member states will address a number of public health issues at this year's session, including the implementation of the International Health Regulations, ranging from pandemic responses to health care waste; monitoring of the achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals, strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and counterfeit medical products. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/2010/wha63/en

WalkOn RockOn Community Challenge
May 17-June 13
Online

Starting on May 17, walking guru Leslie Sansone will be sending participants of iVillage's WalkOn RockOn Community Challenge four weeks of free daily walking workouts and music suggestions. The challenge encourages people everywhere to get fit simply by walking to good tunes daily. To join the challenge, sign up for free at: http://challenges.ivillage.com/walkon-rockon

World AIDS Vaccine Day
May 18
Worldwide

May 18 became World AIDS Vaccine Day 13 years ago with the push of then US president Bill Clinton when he said, "Only a truly effective, preventive HIV vaccine can limit and eventually eliminate the threat of AIDS." Today the awareness campaign is recognized by WHO, UNAIDS and many other organizations. To celebrate IAVI (International AIDS Vaccine Initiative) is supporting five collaborating research centers in South Africa to organize public education events to discuss current efforts toward the vaccine and in Nicaragua a group from World AIDS Awareness Expeditions will climb 2107m high Mogoton, carrying the sign "The summit of HIV-Aids new infections has been reached!" http://www.iavi.org

World Hepatitis Day
May 19
Worldwide

World Hepatitis Day is about bringing attention to the fact that 1 in 12 are living with chronic hepatitis B or C. The World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), is a non-profit organization that represents 280 hepatitis patient groups worldwide, has organized links and information to a number of campaigns taking place on May 19 to promote hepatitis screenings, vaccinations and awareness.  Learn more at  http://www.aminumber12.org

pHealth 2010
May 26-28
Berlin, Germany

pHealth is celebrating its seventh annual event as the leading international conference devoted to wearable micro nano technologies for personalized health. The event is designed for health professionals and scientists but there will be lots of new "future" medicine and therapies revealed. This year's program focuses on smart textiles and wearable diagnostic sensors offering around-the-clock health monitoring, smart capsules to prevent digestive cancers, health preservation with smart therapeutic implants plus much more on diagnostic, monitoring, data management, imaging and surgery technologies. Registration fee includes half-day pass for €150 and full conference attendance is €400. There are also special rates for participants that will stay in Berlin to attend The Heart Failure Congress 2010 May 29-June 1. http://www.phealth2010.com

World No Tobacco Day
May 31
Worldwide

World No Tobacco Day is an initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and this year's program is focusing on health promotion to stop the alarming rates in which young girls are smoking and being marketed to. WHO reports one billion people could die during this century because of tobacco use. May 31 is a good day to talk to your children about the harmful effects of tobacco use and also a great date to stop smoking. For more information visit: http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2010/announcement/en/


World Blood Donor Day
June 14
Worldwide

This year the campaign is "New blood for the world" with targeted efforts to get youth worldwide to donate blood not just on June 14 but more regularly without rewards. To be a blood donor, a healthy lifestyle is required, and for the first time the day will have a 2010 global launch event in Barcelona, Spain, hosted by the Spanish and Catalonian Health Care Authorities, the Spanish and Catalonian donor associations and the Spanish Red Cross. To learn more about donating blood and World Blood Donor Day go to: http://www.who.int/worldblooddonorday/en and http://www.fullblooded.org/blood-donor-world-day

Dateline 2010: Global Health Goals & Metrics
June 14-18
Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington DC, USA

Global Health Council's 37th Annual International Conference on Global Health will chart the progress on the world's global health goals with over 2,500 practitioners, global health and world leaders, activists, multi-lateral organizations, public and private sector health professionals, academics and researchers through the evaluation of health programs and performance effectiveness. During the week-long event a number of awards will be announced including the Gates Award for Global Health and media in health awards. http://www.globalhealth.org/conference_2010

Global health campaigns @ G8/G20 Summits
June 25-27
Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville, Ontario, Canada
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Canada
(Worldwide, Online)

Global health activists and organizations will launch a series of campaigns and events surrounding both the G8 and G20 Summits this June in Canada including the launch of Save the Children's EVERY ONE campaign to mobilize millions of people globally to demand government action in achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Live 8, a global network of ten AIDS awareness concerts, will not be taking place but there are whispers of a smaller event proposed by a Facebook group "G8 Make Promises Happen." For more information on G8/G20 and global health initiatives, go to: http://www.one.org/c/us/policybrief/3318 and http://g8.gc.ca