World Voice Day

World Voice Day, celebrated on 16th April of every year, is a day dedicated to increasing awareness of the importance of vocal health.

In the 21st century the voice is as important as ever; it is a vital resource at work, in social interaction and for pleasure. Voice problems can affect anyone. The entertainment sector has long appreciated the need for voice preservation and recognised the role of ENT surgeons, speech and language therapists and other professionals involved in caring for the voice. Yet the general public is generally unaware of what is needed to maintain vocal health or where to turn when a problem occurs.
The mission of this awareness day is to raise public awareness of common voice disorders, and how they can be treated; to educate about medical disorders that can affect voice quality and can cause problems with the voice (such as overuse of alcohol, tobacco, or speaking too loudly! A trait all to familiar with the Latin culture); and to highlight the importance of paying attention to possible ‘early warning signals’, such as persistent hoarseness, that could be indicators of serious health issues.
The idea for World Voice Day originated in 1999 in Brazil, when numerous outreach activities were organised, directed at improving awareness of voice problems and the availability of care for the voice to the public. The key question was ‘How Can I Look After My Voice?’ Since then, the European Laryngological Society and American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) have become involved in fostering World Voice Day as a major event. Due to this, a determination has recently been fostered worldwide to increase public recognition of voice disorders and the importance of vocal health. April 16th, World Voice Day, has been dedicated to this important task.
Sorry this entry is a few days late. Couldn't publish it earlier.