World Heart Day 2026 Highlights

Walk organized by the Co-operative Hospital was attended by a number of people in the event in collaboration with District Sports Council, Sports Authority of India and National Service Scheme.

From heartfelt Survivor Stories to motivating Rehab Stories, the event highlighted the importance of cardiac rehabilitation, regular exercise, healthy lifestyle choices, and preventive care.

Walkathon

Walkathon and Free Cardiology Medical Camp

Walkathon

On September 29, Centro de Salud Río Abajo commemorated World Heart Day by raising awareness about the importance of cardiovascular health. The center highlighted the need to adopt healthy habits that contribute to a stronger and healthier heart. The main message of the initiative was that taking care of your heart also means taking care of your life.

On World Heart Day, Desun Hospital in Kolkata organized the Desun Cardio Care Walkathon 2026, bringing together doctors, nurses, students, and residents from the surrounding community to promote cardiovascular health.

The walkathon was officially flagged off by Ms. Agnimitra Paul, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Municipal Affairs & Urban Development, Government of West Bengal. The event emphasized the importance of regular physical activity, healthy eating habits, and timely health check-ups.

Cardiologists and CTVS surgeons also participated by sharing their knowledge through health talks focused on heart health, prevention, and healthier everyday habits. The initiative represented a collective effort to encourage healthier hearts and healthier lifestyles within the community.

The One New Heart Tanzania brought World Heart Day to Mwanza, in partnership with Bugando Medical Centre, a tertiary referral and teaching hospital serving communities across Tanzania’s Lake and Western Zones, with a catchment population approaching one-third of Tanzania’s population. The location matters. The Lake Zone faces a broad spectrum of cardiovascular challenges, from hypertension and stroke in adults to congenital and rheumatic heart disease among children and young people.

Data from Bugando highlight the importance of prevention and early detection. Among 566 adults admitted with stroke, 86% had a history of hypertension, while only 41% of those with hypertension were taking antihypertensive medication before their stroke.

Among 3,982 children evaluated at Bugando’s paediatric cardiac clinic, 1,371 had congenital heart disease, while rheumatic heart disease accounted for nearly 50% of the acquired heart disease cases identified. Many children required surgical or interventional treatment, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis and timely referral.

Our World Heart Day activities, including jogging, group and one-on-one health education and health check-ups, created an opportunity to bring heart health closer to the community and promote prevention, early detection and timely care.

The Iranian Heart Foundation (IHF), an official member of the World Heart Federation (WHF), organized the 2026 World Heart Day celebration on Friday, 2 October, along the Health Trail at Nazhvan Park in Isfahan, Iran. It brought together health professionals, academic and research institutions, government agencies, civil society organizations, private-sector stakeholders, and local artists to raise public awareness of cardiovascular health and promote the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

The celebration was organized in collaboration with the Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute; the Deputy for Health and the Food and Drug Administration of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences; the Friends of the Heart Association; the Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center; the Health Culture Development Office and the Cultural and Artistic Organization of Isfahan Municipality; the Iranian Red Crescent; the Friends of the Heart Student Scientific Association; the Spadana Cycling Association; and other non-governmental organizations, public and private hospitals, food and pharmaceutical manufacturers, and local artists.

Community Engagement and Cardiovascular Health Promotion

The event attracted thousands of participants and featured 22 information and health promotion stands, provided opportunities to engage the public through educational activities and the promotion of healthy food products. The program also included cycling activities, artistic and entertainment performances by local artists and comedians, and a specialized cardiovascular health panel featuring cardiologists from Isfahan. These activities aimed to make cardiovascular health information accessible to the public and encourage the adoption of healthier lifestyles.

As part of the event’s preventive health activities, approximately 300 people received cardiovascular health screening services. This component provided an opportunity to encourage greater awareness of personal health status and cardiovascular risk factors, while emphasizing the importance of prevention and the early identification of potential health risks.

The program also featured speeches by Professor Nizal Sarrafzadegan, Director of the Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, and Dr. Rezaei, Technical Deputy of the Provincial Health Center. Their participation highlighted the importance of collaboration among cardiovascular research institutions, public health authorities, healthcare professionals, and community partners in strengthening cardiovascular disease prevention and health promotion.

To further encourage public participation and reinforce key health messages, a health awareness competition was organized, and prizes were awarded to 20 participants at the conclusion of the program.

Our major activities included:

1. Interaction Program with Health Journalists
CSN organized an interaction program with health journalists to discuss the current status of cardiovascular disease in Nepal, advances in cardiac treatment, preventive measures, healthy lifestyle practices, and the importance of recognizing the signs of a heart attack and seeking timely medical care. The program aimed to promote accurate health information and strengthen public awareness through the media.

2. Friendly Futsal Match with Film Artists
In collaboration with the Film Artists Association of Nepal (FAAN), CSN organized a friendly futsal match and heart health awareness program, bringing together medical professionals and members of the film fraternity. The event highlighted the importance of physical activity, regular exercise, and healthy living in preventing cardiovascular disease.

3. Football Match with Former National Football Players
CSN organized a football match with former national football players as part of its heart health awareness campaign. The activity brought together the healthcare and sports communities to encourage physical activity and emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy heart through an active lifestyle.

4. School-Level Art Competition
CSN organized a school-level art competition to engage children and young people in promoting heart health. Students expressed their creativity through artwork conveying meaningful messages about cardiovascular health and healthy living. The competition encouraged young minds to understand the importance of heart health and become ambassadors for a healthier future.

5. Public Awareness Program
CSN also organized a public awareness program at Rastriya Sabha Griha, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, on 29 September 2026. The program aimed to engage the public in the World Heart Day campaign and promote awareness of heart disease prevention, healthy lifestyles, and the importance of prioritizing heart health.

Through these activities, the Cardiac Society of Nepal brought together healthcare professionals, journalists, artists, sports personalities, students, and the general public to spread the message of heart health and encourage collective action against cardiovascular disease.

All photographs and updates from the Cardiac Society of Nepal’s World Heart Day 2026 celebrations have been uploaded to its official Facebook page.

Every Beat Counts is a student-led initiative in Azerbaijan helping young people learn about first aid and CPR.

Together with our local partner, ATGTİ, we held:

• 10 sessions across 6 universities
• 2,200 students reached through first aid and CPR education
• 500 participants in supervised, hands-on CPR practice

The campaign brought together students in Baku, Ganja, Lankaran and Nakhchivan. Sessions combined explanations and demonstrations with opportunities to ask questions and practise CPR on manikins under trainers’ supervision.

For me, seeing students engage with these skills was the most meaningful part of the campaign. I started EBC to make this knowledge more accessible to young people, and it was encouraging to see that purpose take shape across different university communities.

You can view our results and selected event coverage here:

• Campaign results
• Baku State University
• Azerbaijan State Agricultural University, Ganja
• Nakhchivan State University
• Lankaran State University

On September 23rd, WHF hosted a gala football match at the Stade de Genève, with our ambassador, François Moubandjé, former Swiss national team player, amateurs, women and men, as well as children, to promote awareness of cardiovascular health and more specifically prevention of cardiovascular disease through physical activity. For the occasion, multiple partners joined WHF, such as Save a Life and the UEFA Get Trained, Save Lives programme, Curves Acacias Fitness, Encake Creations, and HUG, who held a hypertension screening stand, to celebrate World Heart Day.