Representatives of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will participate in a two-day workshop on Promoting Physical Activity in the Caribbean as it continues, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to advance its offensive against chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
 
Set to take place on 6-7 May, 2008, the workshop is pursuant to the Declaration of Port of Spain: Uniting to Stop the Epidemic of Non-Communicable Diseases which was signed by CARICOM Heads of Government after the historic September 15 Summit on chronic NCDs held in Trinidad and Tobago.

In the 15-point Declaration, the Heads of Government had mandated the promotion of policies and actions aimed at increasing physical activity in the entire population as vehicles for improving the health of the population. In this context, the Heads committed to increasing adequate public facilities such as parks and other recreational spaces to encourage physical activity by the widest cross-section of Caribbean citizens.  They further declared the second Saturday in September “Caribbean Wellness Day,” in commemoration of the landmark Summit.
 
Against this background therefore, the workshop aims to realize several critical objectives which include sharing information about the benefits of increased physical activity; examining the broad policy and practical issues in increasing physical activity; learning options for physical activity and fine-tuning the planning for the launch of sustained physical activity on the first Caribbean Wellness Day set for 13 September 2008.

 
Participants for the workshop will include delegates from eight CARICOM countries representing a broad range of sectors such as health, education, sport, urban planning, local government, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the Media.
 
The workshop will be facilitated by a team of experts in the field of health and physical activity, including international expert, Mr Guilermo Penalosa, who is Executive Director of the Canadian non-profit Walk & Bike for Life as well as a successful international speaker and consultant. In his presentations and workshops on creating better Communities, he develops strong linkages of Walking, Bicycling, Parks and Trails, with improving the Personal and Public Health.
 
It is organized by the Office of Caribbean Program Coordination of Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).