World Cancer Day is marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

It is led by the Union for International Cancer Control, a global consortium of more than 470 cancer-fighting organisations in over 120 countries. World Cancer Day targets the public through global communications, and encourages policy makers and UICC member organisations to make cancer a political priority.

History
WCD is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), a leading international non-governmental organisation dedicated to the prevention and control of cancer worldwide. Founded in 1933 and based in Geneva, UICCs growing membership of over 460 organisations across 120 countries, features the worlds major cancer societies, ministries of health, research institutes, treatment centres and patient groups. Additionally, the organisation is a founding member of the NCD Alliance, a global civil society network that now represents almost 2,000 organisations in 170 countries. UICC also has responsibility for: The World Cancer Declaration - a tool to help bring the growing cancer crisis to the attention of government leaders and health policymakers in order to significantly reduce the global cancer burden by 2020 World Cancer Congress - a biannual event at which the international cancer control community gather to meet, discuss, share, learn and connect in order to find solutions to reduce the impact of cancer on communities around the world. Next meeting is in Montral, Canada from 27-30 August 2012 World Cancer Leaders Summit - the most important annual high level policy meeting dedicated exclusively to furthering global cancer control

[edit] Involvement of WHO

WHO and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the specialized cancer agency of WHO, collaborate with other United Nations organizations and partners in the areas of international cancer prevention and control to: increase political commitment for cancer prevention and control; generate new knowledge, and disseminate existing knowledge to facilitate the delivery of evidence-based approaches to cancer control; develop standards and tools to guide the planning and implementation of interventions for prevention, early detection, treatment and care; facilitate broad networks of cancer control partners at global, regional and national levels; strengthen health systems at national and local levels; provide technical assistance for rapid, effective transfer of best practice interventions to developing countries; and coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human cancer, the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and develop scientific strategies for cancer prevention and control.

[edit] What is World Cancer Day ( WCD)?

World Cancer Day (WCD) is the one singular initiative under which the entire world can unite together in the fight against the global cancer epidemic. WCD takes place ever year on 4 February. What are the aims of World Cancer Day? WCD aims to help save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness and education about cancer, and pressing to governments across the world to take action against the disease. World Cancer Day 2012 is particularly important as it falls almost half a year after the first HighLevel UN Summit on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and the signing of the Political Declaration supporting prevention and control of these devastating conditions, which includes cancer. WCD is therefore a key opportunity for everyone affected by cancer to work together to ensure that world leaders stick to the promises they made at the UN Summit in relation to reducing the impact of cancer. In particular too: Develop targets and indicators to measure the implementation of policies and approaches to prevent and control cancer Raise the priority accorded to cancer in the global development agenda Promote a multisectoral response to cancer In addition, WCD 2012 is a crucial vehicle for people around the world to use to convince their governments to commit to reducing avoidable deaths from NCDs by 25% by 2025 - a target the Wold Health Organization believes to be achievable, but that significantly was not included in the UN Political Declaration on NCDs. Why is WCD so important? Put simply, because the global cancer epidemic is huge and is set to rise. Every month 600,000 people die of cancer and many of these deaths can be avoided with increased governmental support and funding for prevention, detection and treatment programmes. Unless urgent action is taken to raise awareness about cancer and develop practical strategies to address the disease, millions of people will continue to die prematurely from the disease. Significantly, the number of cancer cases and related deaths worldwide is estimated to double over the next 20-40 years. With the greatest increase in low and middle income countries, those

least equipped to cope with both the social and economic impact of the disease.

On the 4th of February, 2011 UICC and its partner organisations ran 244 campaigns all over the world to raise awareness for a disease that causes millions of deaths every year, many of which could have been prevented. More than ever before there is a need for a concerted and coordinated fight against cancer, and we believe that World Cancer Day can play its part by providing an even bigger platform for your cancer messages.

Indian Navy celebrates December 04 as Navy Day. This day is celebrated as a tribute to the valiant maritime operations of the Indian Navy during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. Indian Marine known as Honourable East India Companys Marine was formed in 1612, with First squadron of British fighting ships arriving in Surat; with further developments, was renamed as Royal Indian Navy in 1934; subsequent to Indias Independence and proclamation as a Republic, in 1950 was christened as Indian Navy (IN).

This year during the Navy Week celebrations, INS Jalashwa, the amphibious transport ship, formerly known as USS Trenton was the star attraction in the East Coast of India. Navy Week Celebrations at Visakhapatnam, Eastern Naval Command:

Painting competition on November 18. Day at Sea on November 21. Navy Mela, November 22 to 25. Ships open to visitors, November 24 to 25. Band concert, December 03. Naval Operations Display :The Navy will hold an Operational Display by ships and aircrafts consisting of 19 ships, 18 aircraft and two submarines off R.K. Beach, on December 04. There will be display by Sagar Pawan Naval Aerobatic team, beaching operations by landing crafts along with INS Jalashwa, a Landing Platform Dock, which will be taking part in the display for the first time. Navy Ball:The Navy week celebrations would be concluded by a Navy Ball, a popular social event to be held on December 08. This years special attraction would be to choose a Navy Queen. The winner of the Navy Queen 2007 will have the opportunity to be one of the final contestants for the Pantaloons Femina Miss India South 2008, to be held in Hyderabad on 23rd December 2007.

Navy Week Celebrations at Kochi, Southern Naval Command: The week-long Navy Day celebrations at the Southern Naval Command started with a variety of military exercises and entertainment programmes, including air shows and naval expos.

One of the main attractions was, Commander Rajiv Ashok and his wife Lieutenant Commander Reshmi Singh sky diving from 4500 ft. The duo have been participating in the Navy Week for the past few years and jumping from heights above 14000 feet. The operational demonstration of the Navys firepower, display of missile, guns and other equipments used on war ships will be shown during the Navy Week. Naval band performances, football championship and medical camps will be organised as part of the celebrations, which will conclude on December 08.

Navy Week Celebrations at Mumbai, Western Naval Command: Excited schoolchildren take a look at an aircraft on display at the Indian Museum Ship Vikrant on Sunday, December 02. Over 10,000 people visited the unique floating museum as part of the

Navy Week celebrations. The ship will be open to public till December 09.