|  | Feature: Healthy Living Move for Health | No.49 January 2007 |
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Finland’s Campaign Liiku Terveemmäksi / Move for Health, 10th May, 2007 Kari L. Keskinen, Lauri Tarasti, Eeva Tulisalo & Antti Uutela |
The World Health Organization's (WHO) initiative to promote health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) has been taken seriously worldwide. Since 2002, the slogan Move for Health (MfH) has been translated into at least 63 languages, along with a subtitle describing each year's theme and the Day itself is being celebrated in more and more countries. MfH refers particularly to the need for daily, cumulative, moderate-to-vigorous physical activities, of any type, that an individual can perform anywhere to improve his or her health. In addition, MfH refers to how individuals, communities and nations can promote their health and well-being through healthy lifestyles. It has become evident that physical activity does not any more belong only to sport but also to healthcare. Originally, HEPA was a theme of WHO’s annual Health Day (4 April), but, because of the utmost importance of physical activity to health and well-being, the decision was made to promote HEPA annually in a dedicated day. Since 2002, WHO has urged the world's countries to promote MfH nationally, preferably on 10th of May. The 2007 theme will be Active Workplaces. The theme should be adopted with a scope wide enough to include all kinds of workplaces. The workplace can be one's home, a kindergarten, a school or a retirement home. To others it will be a factory, office or business enterprise. For still others it might be a forest or a farmhouse. Most importantly, MfH Day should adhere to a permanent message: to promote physical activity every day and everywhere, to wake up all of those who have not yet embraced the idea that daily physical activity is a fundamental element of well-being and a healthy lifestyle. Strong national commitment and support constitute an essential prerequisite for the launching, strengthening and sustainability of any MfH initiative at the national level. In Finland, an important step in promoting the WHO recommendations and a physically active way of life was taken in May 2004 when a prestigious Advisory Board chaired by Dr Pekka Puska of the National Public Health Institute (KTL) called on the Finnish people to move for their health. In addition, the Board included representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the National Board of Education, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Finnish Defence Forces, major cities, mass media, Finnish Sport for All Association and major sports organisations, among others. The Finnish Society of Sport Sciences issued the call for partners and attended to promotion of the campaign. The coalition of Finnish labour organisations and social partners published a resolution to promote physical activity among both employees and employers in workplaces. Since the initial meeting of the Board, many meetings of the Working Group for Move for Health at the Finnish Society of Sport Sciences have occurred, resulting in a network of participating organisations that finally is making the population move. At the moment, again, we are activating local organisations so that they will pass the message on to the grass roots and local activists, asking them to organise their own campaigns. To this end, activities of the Working Group include: Launch of a national website www.liikuterveemmaksi.fi with links to the collaborating organisations nationwide. The national logo being made available at the website, for use by local activists. Development of a PowerPoint presentation that has been circulated for use by local activists. Development of letterheads that have been circulated for use by local activists. Preparation of posters that have been circulated for use by local activists. Easy access to the campaign for newcomers by registering on the website. Posting of all activities and special events on the website's event calendar. The snowball of Liiku Terveemmäksi (the Finnish version of Move for Health) is picking up speed. Finland has gotten off to a good start by exchanging ideas and benchmarking best practices in a matter which we Finns consider of the highest priority. The next step is to speed up the processes. The well-rooted Ministry of Education and Ministry of Social Affairs and Health backed Kunnossa kaiken ikää (Fit for Life Program) has agreed to take a more prominent role in the Finnish Move for Health campaign by adding to the services in cooperation with the Finnish Society of Sport Sciences. Furthermore, the Finnish Sport for All Association will be the main standard-bearer for the Active Workplaces theme during the 2007 world campaign. The message has now gone out to all national players, who are willingly continuing their activities, that each player will be giving their own tone to the implementation of this year's theme. More information about the world campaign can be obtained at http://www.who.int/moveforhealth/en/, and about the Finnish campaign at www.liikuterveemmaksi.fi. Contact Kari L. Keskinen & Eeva Tulisalo Finnish Society of Sport Sciences Finland kari.keskinen@lts.fi Lauri Tarasti Administrative Supreme Court Finland Antti Uutela National Public Health Institute; Helsinki, Finland Finland http://www.icsspe.org/portal/index.php?w=1&z=5 Finland’s Campaign Liiku Terveemmäksi / Move for Health, 10th May, 2007 Kari L. Keskinen, Lauri Tarasti, Eeva Tulisalo & Antti Uutela