World Smokefree May - We're Backing You!

Hāpai Te Hauora are proud to declare that this year Aotearoa will celebrate ‘ World Smokefree May’, as part of a national campaign for Aotearoa to be Smokefree by 2025. ‘World Smokefree May’ will lead up to the celebration of ‘World Smokefree Day’ on Tuesday the 31st May 2022 in line with the annual international day created by the World Health Organisation in 1987(1).

Hāpai Te Hauora CEO Selah Hart explains "Our work towards having a smokefree Aotearoa by 2025 is part of a ground-breaking, world-leading strategy. All areas of our community, from our smallest tamariki, our whānau and community organisations to supporting legislation from central government are all backing each other."

This year's theme for ‘World Smokefree May’ was chosen by brilliant and insightful rangatahi as a reflection of the teamwork and endurance of our connections and relationships over the past year. The theme is "We’re Backing You", with a focus on the team effort to support whanau to quit and stay Smokefree. The key messages focus on whanaungatanga and wrap-around support, who provides it, and how. The theme is matched with a three word whakatauki;

"Taituara, taiwhare, taieke" : with backing, even the tallest of oceans waves can be conquered.

In celebration Hāpai Te Hauora have created events across social media and kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) with the aim of encouraging those who are thinking about quitting to take the first step and put their plan into action. Hāpai Te Hauora is hosting a launch day for ‘ World Smokefree May’, on Saturday 30th April from 10am-2pm in partnership with Manurewa Marae and the Manurewa Marlins Rugby League Club, which will celebrate our tamariki and their aspirations to have a Smokefree Aotearoa. The event will also have kaimahi on site to offer information and resources on how to quit smoking, and how you can support whānau that are on their quitting journey, as well as kai, entertainment and a DJ.

Hāpai has an extensive range of activities across all our social media. These include snippets from our Community Activators who are doing the mahi on the ground in their regions, profiles from people who have been successful in quitting smoking, interactive sessions debunking common misconceptions about quitting smoking, and Friday giveaways each week.

Hart concludes "Hāpai Te Hauora is built on whānau, and we have decades of supporting the Smokefree2025 goal, alongside our collective efforts to achieve Tupeka Kore for all communities in Aotearoa. Being smokefree is essential to our future, and the future of our whakapapa. As we always have and will continue to do - we’re backing you."

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