World Walking Day is held on Friday, October 28th, 2022. The activity will include various events and marches around the country. As in every year, the interminiterial partnership in the Efsharibari national program, with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, encourages initiatives and activities and promotes physical activity and walking.
The main message of World Walking Day: Every minute counts!
Walking is not just a set "task" as part of our daily living routine but rather an opportunity for physical activity "on the way" without any preparation or special equipment. All we need to do is to locate opportunities for physical activity that each and every one of us has in our daily living routine and to use these opportunities.
The World Health Organization recommends between 150-300 minutes of physical activity per week (about a half an hour a day) for adults (and about 60 minutes a day for children). Physical activity should be under mild intensity, meaning a slight yet noticeable increase in breathing rate and pulse. You can and you should make the first step today and remember that every minute counts – and added to the tally.
Every minute counts! We have collected links to resources, videos, and contents for you:
- Graphic files in Hebrew and Arabic and for the Haredi sector (PDF file (open file) for presenting the activities of World Walking Day, the logo of World Walking Day with a date, cover picture for Facebook, picture for Instagram (Story), picture for a post on Facebook or Instagram, wallpaper for a website or screen saver)
- Poster: encourage children to exercise - 60 minutes - Hebrew, Arabic (downloadable)
- Poster: encourage adults to exercise - get moving Hebrew, Arabic (downloadable)
- To Stay Active, Even in Quarantine - #it's_EfsahriBari
- Stairs: One Small Step for one Big Change for Your Health
- Zazoom! Keeping Active Even while Seated in Front of the Screen at Home or Work
- Not moving from home? Move at home!
- Staying in Motion in Your Golden Years: Active and Healthy
- Climbing to Health: Encouraging the Use of Stairs in the Workplace
- Staying Active: Children and Adolescents
- Healthy urban space - promote walking and exercise in the urban space
- Video: the benefits of walking - Efsharibari
- Video: recapping the activities of World Walking Day 2021
Planning an event for World Walking Day? You can enter the event details in the following designed file and share it: open file for presenting the event details in Hebrew / Arabic / for the Haredi sector (Hebrew)
The benefits of walking and moving: for adults
- Improved cardiovascular functioning
- Strengthened muscles and improved bone health
- Improved joint flexibility and range of movement
- Improved walking safety and reduced risk for falling
- Improved mood and concentration
- Maintaining an independent, active and healthy lifestyle
The benefits of walking and moving: for children and adolescents
- Contributing to healthy development, balance, and coordination
- Promoting social and communication skills, learning skills, and concentration
- Improving self-image, reducing depression and anxiety
Recommendations for municipalities that seek to encourage physical activity and walking
- The mayor and senior officials should lead and promote physical activity and participate in World Walking Day events.
- This is an opportunity to expose citizens to venues that are suitable for walking and physical activity: existing and new parks, walking paths, exercise facilities, venues with lighting.
- You can encourage registration for sport classes and annual activities in the municipality.
- Related activities can be publicized throughout the year.
- The municipality can promote a policy that encourages physical activity through the educaltional system and other programs.
- Healthy urban space – shaping urban space to promote walking and physical activities
Recommendations for workplaces that seek to encourage physical activity and walking
- Encourage physical activity through the workplace according to the Civil Service guidance (Hebrew).
- Zazoom! Keeping active even while seated in front of the screen at home or work
- Climbing to health: encouraging the use of stairs in the workplace
- Design the public space in the workplace in a way that encourages walking and physical activity.
The deputy director at the Civil Service Commission has confirmed that should an office hold a training day combined with sport and walking activities in this period, such day can be recognized as paid leave of absence, provided the training day include at least 7 hours (gross). See the 2022 World Walking Day circular (Hebrew)
World Walking Day in the educational system
Activities in previous years
Walking Day 2021: we all went for It
For the second consecutive year, we celebrated Walking Day amidst COVID-19 and various restrictions. Following an extended period of intermittent lockdowns and holidays, during which physical activity was reduced, the pleasant autumn weather signaled the perfect time to reintegrate physical activity into our daily routines.
Walking Day 2020: every minute counted
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions and contrary to previous years, we were unable to invite the residents to join the large marches organized by authorities and schools or participate in big events. Nevertheless, as in every setting, with the family, in the classroom, at school, in workplaces, or under the guidance of local authority, it was possible to initiate and organize secure open spaces for various types of physical activities - whether in front of screens or in small groups in the open air.
Internationally, TAFISA (the Association for International Sport for All) led the International Walking Day and focused on community participation. All interested individuals enrolled and performed outdoor activities, such as walking, jogging, horseback riding, cycling, kayaking, skateboarding, etc. At the end of the activity, they took photos of themselves passing the baton they made to a specific organization or person and invited their community to join the activity.
Video guide presenting the activity
Walking Day 2017 (HE)
Further reading
Recommended Physical Activities - the Ministry of Health's Website (Hebrew)
WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity
Position paper: physical activity and sports for children and adolescents