World Voice Day 2019

Ear, Nose, and Throat Journal remains committed to collaborating with the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, the Voice Foundation, and other organizations to support World Voice Day. The annual editorial is published before World Voice Day (April 16th) in order to remind people to prepare to participate in World Voice Day. All physicians, speech-language pathologists, singing and acting teachers, nurses, voice patients, and others who care for and about the voice should work together to raise awareness of the importance of the voice and of developments in voice care.

The World Health Organization recognized a particularly high rate of laryngeal cancer in Brazil. In April 1989, Brazilian otolaryngologists established a National Voice Week. Soon, other societies around the world recognized the importance of public education about the voice; and the European Laryngological Association (www.elsoc.org), American Bronchoesophagological Association (www.abea.net), and other societies began collaborating an annual World Voice Day.

World Voice Day was celebrated in the United States for the first time on April 16, 2003. It was supported by the AAO-HNS (www.entnet.org), the Voice Foundation (www.voicefoundation.org), the American Laryngological Association (www.alahns.org), and numerous other societies and organizations. A summary of the evolution of World Voice Day can be found on the website of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at www.entnet.org and at WorldVoiceDay.org.

Typical World Voice Day activities include lectures, concerts, educational programs, and media events scheduled to take place on April 16th and often for a few days surrounding that date. Web-based educational initiatives may be found through the AAO-HNS and Voice Foundation websites and elsewhere. Laryngologists, speech-language pathologists, nurses, singers, singing teachers, actors, acting teachers, and others organize celebratory events in cities throughout the world. They are bound together by a commitment to expand public appreciation of and knowledge about the human voice and to raise awareness about the importance of good vocal health and education.

For example, in Philadelphia in 2019, World Voice Day events will include free clinical voice screenings, a PECO Crown Lights display visible throughout much of the city, voice education presentations, and a concert.

Extensive events honoring World Voice Day take place each year in Lisbon, Portugal, under the auspices of Professor Mario Andrea, in the Detroit area under the guidance of Dr Adam Rubin, in Pittsburgh with Dr Libby Smith; in San Francisco with Drs Clark Rosen and VyVy Young; in Los Angeles under the guidance of Dr Michael Johns; and in many other cities. In addition, the National Association of Teachers of Singing supports World Voice Day actively, and many events around the country are organized by singing teachers.

Future activities promise to be even more expansive as guided through the new ad hoc World Voice Day planning committee, notable for its broad international representation. The group’s initial meeting was held in Erlangen, Germany, on July 4, 2012; and the organization is committed to sharing the excitement of voice science, pedagogy, and the vocal arts globally in collaboration with like-minded existing groups. Under the guidance initially of Johan Sundberg, PhD, in Stockholm, Sweden, and recently also of Dr Mara Belau, this group documented 461 World Voice Day events in 2014, 736 in 2016, 632 in 2017 (when April 16 was on Easter Sunday), and 795 World Voice Day events in 2018, and continued growth is expected. The World-Voice-Day.org website is functioning as an historical and current repository of World Voice Day events globally with pivotal key personnel in 55 countries; and major organizations (including the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery and The Voice Foundation) are collaborating with that initiative.

The AAO-HNS has developed a website, fact sheets on common voice problems, and materials for press releases to assist local communities in developing Word Voice Day events. These materials are updated regularly and are available through the Academy. The Academy also establishes annual World Voice Day themes for the American celebration. In the past, these have included “Listen to your voice; it might be telling you something,” “Put your best voice forward,” “Don’t tax your voice,” “Invest in your voice,” “Love your voice,” “Voice: The Original Social Media,” “Explore your voice,” “Share your voice,” “Make the Choice to Cherish Your Voice,” and in 2019, the theme is “Be Kind With Your Voice.”

World Voice Day offers all otolaryngologists opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in speech-language pathology, singing, acting, public speaking, nursing education, the media, and other professions. Vocal health is critical to our ability to function in today’s communication-oriented society, but the voice does not receive the public recognition, appreciation, or funding that it deserves. World Voice Day provides a perfect forum through which we can refamiliarize ourselves with the latest advances in laryngology and voice care and educate our colleagues, patients, and communities through lectures, free voice screenings, community outreach programs, concerts and other initiatives.

The remarkable advances in voice diagnosis and treatment since the 1980s have raised the standard of care for all voice patients. World Voice Day is an ideal time to highlight these advances and to educate the public about the current state of the art in voice care. All voice care professionals and patients are encouraged to participate in this important international celebration.