ERS Congress 2024: Some 20,000 participants raised awareness of lung health in Vienna
The annual congress of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) attracted close to 20,000 participants at the Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center and online. Over the course of five days, the world's leading respiratory experts discussed the latest advances in respiratory medicine and science during more than 400 sessions. The theme of this year's ERS Congress was "Humans and Machines: getting the balance right”. Each year the congress theme presents an opportunity within the broad programme to spotlight a hot topic or priority area in respiratory medicine and science. Alongside topics such as artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector, the importance of sustainability was also highlighted at the ERS Congress. This included, for example, activities in which participants could produce fresh juice by cycling.
"For me, the ERS Congress is always the highlight of the respiratory medicine calendar. It reliably presents the latest in respiratory medicine, science and research across the full spectrum of respiratory diseases, and it always delivers new activities and opportunities to network" reports Prof. Monika Gappa, President of the European Respiratory Society.
Alongside the congress, the ERS and European Lung Foundation (ELF) public awareness campaign “Healthy Lungs for Life” was launched in Vienna. The launch included the offer of free lung function tests for the public, educational visits to schools and a charity run in the Vienna Prater.
Healthy Lungs for Life campaign raises awareness of lung health
Organized in partnership between ERS and ELF, Healthy Lungs for Life aims to raise public awareness of lung health and promote preventative measures against lung disease. The campaign was launched on Saturday, September 07 at an event held in front of Vienna's Giant Ferris Wheel. This event also offered complimentary lung function tests, which were available to the general public throughout the weekend. Over the course of two days, more than 500 tests were carried out.
On Monday and Tuesday, in partnership with the Board of Education for Vienna and as part of an initiative led by the Vienna Convention Bureau, visits were made to three schools in Vienna. The visits were aimed at educating the younger generations about the importance of lung health. Students were able to test their lung function on board a mobile testing unit installed in an American school bus, which had also been used at the Giant Ferris Wheel. Special educational materials created as part of the legacy project will be made available to schools to integrate into their curriculum in the future.
On Tuesday, over 500 walkers and runners took part in the "Take The Active Option" event. Starting at 7:30 am, they participated in a 5-kilometer run or a 2.5-kilometer walk. The aim was to promote a healthy lifestyle and the importance of physical activity for lung health. All money raised from registration for the sold-out event will be donated to the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign.
"Events that create meaning are becoming increasingly popular. Working together with event organizers and local partners, we as Meeting Destination Vienna are setting an example and extending the impact of events held in Vienna beyond the confines of convention centers. As part of the European Respiratory Society Congress the European Lung Foundation’s ‘Healthy Lungs for Life’ campaign raised awareness of lung health among the Viennese population and engaged local residents. As a result, hundreds of Viennese residents benefited directly from the activities that accompanied the congress," explains Anita Paic, Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau.
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Video ECR 2024
