The World Heart Federation (WHF) is a

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

based in

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

, Switzerland, formed in 1972. The current President for World Heart Federation is

Fausto Pinto Fausto Manuel Pinto Rosas (born 8 August 1983) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a left-back. Club career On December 23, 2008, Fausto Pinto left C.F. Pachuca and started playing with Cruz Azul. Hugo Sánchez, Mexican co ...

. In 1978 the International Society of Cardiology merged with the International Cardiology Federation (which had been founded in 1970) to form the International Society and Federation of Cardiology. This body changed its name in 1998 to the World Heart Federation. The federation hosts the World Congress of Cardiology. A preliminary and somewhat informal international meeting of cardiologists was held in Prague in 1933, but the advent of Nazism and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

prevented further international cooperation in the field until 1946, when a Cardiological Congress took place in

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

. The first true World Congress was held in 1950. The first World Congress of Cardiology was convened in Paris in September 1950 under the aegis of the International Society of Cardiology, which had itself been founded four years previously. Subsequent congresses were held at four-year intervals until 2006; since then, they have been held at two-year intervals. "World Heart Day" was founded in 2000 to inform people around the globe that cardiovascular disease and stroke are the world’s leading causes of death. World Heart Day is celebrated every year on 29 September. The World Heart Federation are today the leading organization in championing global cardiovascular health diseases with the purpose of enabling citizens from across the globe to gain access to key information, care, and treatment in order to keep such a vital organ beating.

References

External links

World Heart Federation Official Website
{{authority control International medical and health organizations Scientific supraorganizations