World Health Day
Health For All
Marking the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization (WHO), World Health Day 2023 invites us to reflect on social factors that affect our own health and the health of our communities, acknowledging that there are structural inequities that need to be addressed.
The WHO's Universal Health initiative speaks to individual and community wellbeing, and aims to ensure that everyone, everywhere, can access quality health services without discrimination or financial consequences.
This year Days of Action extends a no-pressure invitation to reflect on what Health For All means for you and the U of A community.
World Health Day Events: April 5, 2023
9:00-10:00 am- World Health Day Breakfast Celebration
Location: SUB 0-51 Cascade Room or Zoom
Description: Kick off the day with with breakfast and a keynote presentation followed by a presentation of the Wellness Champions awards. The theme of our celebration follows the World Health Organization’s “Health for All.”
Keynote speaker: Shana Dion, Assistant Dean, Assistant Dean, First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Students, will reflect on the complexities of health equity and social determinants of health, and how wellbeing is dependent on the ways we live our journey here on earth.
This is a hybrid event. Please join us in person or virtually.
11:00 am- 2:00 pm- Wellness Fair
Location: Social Street, Van Vliet Complex
Meet with many on-campus and off-campus service providers who contribute to wellbeing on campus. Explore resources on mental, physical, social, spiritual, environmental, career/academic and financial wellness!
12:00-1:00 pm - Wellness Wednesday: Tea, Meditation, and Sleep Secrets
Sleep deprived, can't fall asleep, or stay asleep? You deserve to have a restful night, and sleep meditation can help! Join us as we share some tips for healthy sleep and practice some mindful meditation. Plus free tea! This course is offered as a hybrid course - you can participate in-person or virtually. You will be able to choose your preference upon registration. Tea will be available for in-person participants only.
Location: Multi-Purpose 3-205, Van Vliet Complex
3:30-5:30 pm: Monthly Social with Wellness Supports and Unitea
Join us for an activity that contributes to our physical, social and environmental wellness. RSVP form to come.
Health For All: Considerations for Yourself
Be an agent in your individual health:
- Develop and personalize self-care strategies with help from student services across campus.
- Access a family doctor at the University Health Centre (specific to U of A students, faculty, and staff members).
- Learn how to advocate for yourself with your health provider. Different intersectionalities and experiences will impact needs. If you are looking for specific ideas on how to advocate for yourself consider reaching out to people in your community to learn from them. If you’re not sure who to ask, Wellness Supports social workers can work with you to build your self-advocacy skills.
Health For All: Considerations for Community Health
Be an agent in community health:
- Act as an ally alongside people in your community who have different health care experiences.
- Get involved with organizations that have a mandate of community wellbeing (The Campus Food Bank is a great option!)
- Learn about some disparities in health care in Canada:
- Read about 2SLGBTQ+ healthcare experiences in Edmonton, in North America, and with Trans Health.
- Learn more about Indigenous experiences of racism that disrupt access to health care through The National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, listen to stories like Jessica Rickard’s. Read works like Mary Jane Logan McCallum’s Structures of Indifference that talk about modern histories of Indigenous health in Canada.
- Discover the world of health care from an Immigrant and Refugee perspective
- Review how our health care meets the needs of people who are experiencing homelessness.
- Listen a webinar on food insecurity and the impact on post secondary student wellness
- Engage with people advocating for health at every size, including Amanda Lee discussing weight stigma and health care, and Sonya Renee Taylor’s work on body shame. Follow podcasts like Maintenance Phase and Christy Harrison.
The state of our health is more than our biology - learn how the social determinants of health affect health equity in Canada and around the world.