World Health Day 2023: 75 years of improving public health
WHO champions
Nagwa Ghorab
Nagwa Ghorab is an 80-year-old Egyptian women’s World Masters swimming champion, who dove back into the pool and participated in world championships at the age of 68, following her retirement.
The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has selected Nagwa Ghorab as a regional WHO75 champion (April 2023April 2024). As a WHO75 champion in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, Nagwa will help raise awareness on the importance of engaging in physical activity for better mental health and well-being.
Through her inspiring story and ability to reach new audiences, Nagwa will help motivate people to embrace WHO’s recommendations and messages on sports for health, with a focus on the well-being of women and girls.
Naseer Shamma
Naseer Shamma is a world-renowned Iraqi oud musician, recognized through over 75 international awards for his achievements in the preservation of oud music and advancing its presence on the world's stage. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has selected him as a regional WHO75 champion (April 2023 ̶ April 2024).
Naseer is a humanitarian and was made an UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2017, with two consecutive re-appointments since then. He has long advocated using music for peace and has used online platforms and his international stature to raise awareness on emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. He has also established humanitarian initiatives such as "The Flower Road" and "Ahluna" to help children and displaced people, and created "Alaq Baghdad", an initiative to reconstruct Baghdad’s main squares and sites to rejuvenate the city and its culture.
As a regional WHO75 champion, Naseer will help raise awareness about public health emergencies and advocate for investing in children’s health and access to quality health care in the Region.
