Within the next month Health Ministers from close to 200 countries will – in the framework of the World Health Organisation (WHO) – adopt the Global Action Plan to Promote Physical Activity (GAPPA). That is at least what we foresee and, of course, hope.

The WHO’s GAPPA is expected to be adopted during the World Health Assembly from 21-26 May 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland and the latest draft is published here. The provisional agenda of the upcoming meeting is here.

I believe that this is a milestone – and a stepping stone to bring the promotion of physical activity higher on the agenda. In other words, to bring physical activity as high on the agenda as it deserves in relation to the well documented knowledge about its many positive social, mental and physical health effects. There is unfortunately still some way to go.

To support the process from now until adoption - and not least to remind ourselves that this Global Action Plan to Promote Physical Activity should not only be adopted, but as well be implemented, - ISCA will accompany the next month with a Social Media campaign for the Global Action Plan to Promote Physical Activity. This goes hand-in-hand with our philosophy of the Human Right to MOVE as we call upon ‘The duty bearers’ (public authorities), ‘The moral duty bearers’ (civil society, private organisations) to give ‘the right holder’ (citizens) to enable everyone to enjoy their right to MOVE and enjoy and active, healthy lifestyle.

So we’re calling on our members and partners to raise your voice and join our advocacy campaign on the WHO Global Action Plan to Promote Physical Activity.

We you to use your social channels to put attention on the adoption and, not least, the suggested actions in the GAPPA. BUT besides pushing the message on social media, this campaign also gives you an opportunity to gently push your ministries and minsters not only to sign but to act. We hope that many of our members will use the occasion of the campaign and adoption to have a dialogue with public authorities/ministries on how to implement the good ideas in the action plan.

With this I wish you a good kick-off to the ISCA social media campaign to support the Global Action Plan to Promote Physical Activity.

You can support the campaign by adding the hashtags #GAPPA #ActiveVoice to your social media messages.

Tag ISCA on Twitter: @ISCA_Tweet

More coverage: Clear ISCA footprint on WHO Action Plan