Background
On September 28, 2023, the 17th World Rabies Day, we embraced the theme "Rabies: All for 1, One Health for All." In light of the post-COVID-19 era, our activities expanded upon previous years. Our aim was to enhance public understanding of practical rabies prevention, control, and treatment, explore collaboration between human and veterinary medicine, and ultimately eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030. We adopted a multi-platform approach, hosting both online and offline events. This comprehensive strategy yielded strong social engagement, and we remain committed to advancing rabies research and prevention.
Event Date
August 10 - September 28
Event Highlights
Event 1: Online and Offline Campaign
Date: August 10 - September 16
For the first time, we created online accounts on platforms such as Bilibili, TikTok, WeChat Channels, Himalaya, Dragonfly FM, NetEase Cloud Music, and Little Red Book. We shared original videos and audio related to World Rabies Day, garnering substantial engagement. At Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU), we hung banners, organized spray-painting sessions, and invited passersby to participate in activities.
Event 2: Research and Interviews
Date: September 6 - 23
Our association members formed three groups - the vaccine group, veterinary team, and human medicine group. Each group further divided into teams, responsible for research and interviews with relevant enterprises and communities. Notable interviews included Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd.'s Deputy Director Shengli Meng and visits to Nanjing Abel Pet Hospital and Nanjing Ping An Afu Stray Animal Rescue Association. These activities aimed to understand the cutting-edge methods in rabies prevention and control.
The human medicine group interviewed professionals like Yuan Master from Nanjing Meishan Hospital and experts from the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention. On September 23, Nanjing's Nanhu Community Health Service Center joined us to educate NAU students about rabies.
All interview materials will be compiled into videos and shared on major platforms after the event.
Event 3: World Rabies Day 2023 Poster Video Contest
Date: August 26 - September 28 (Poster submission deadline: September 22)
This year's poster video contest, themed "Face, Fight, Then No Fear," saw active participation from students across China. It featured three tracks, including a short and long video category, each with first, second, and third prizes.
Event 4: Public Awareness Activities
Date: September 17, 27
To promote the One Health concept and raise awareness of rabies, we organized expert lectures and volunteer education activities for primary and secondary schools. On September 16, in collaboration with the Youth Volunteer Association of NAU's College of Veterinary Medicine, we educated Nanjing Guanghua East Street Primary School students about rabies. We plan to host an expert lecture featuring Dr. Shengli Meng and a CDC parasite expert on September 27, both online and offline.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the organizers: the College of Veterinary Medicine at Nanjing Agricultural University, the "Belt and Road" International Major Cross-border Animal Disease Diagnosis and Immunization Professional Innovation Institute, the Virtual Teaching and Research Office for Animal Infectious Diseases Course Group under the Ministry of Education of China, and the One Health International Association (OHIA), for their invaluable support in coordinating this event.
We also extend our appreciation to our generous sponsor, Zoetis Enterprise Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., for their support of our poster awards and seminar.
Special gratitude goes to all NAU OHIA students for their dedication and hard work. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to our esteemed faculty advisors, Drs. Zhen Yang and Meng Li, as well as CVM Associate Dean Dr. Ruibing Cao, for their guidance and expertise throughout the event. We are also thankful to the NAU Office of International Relations for their continued support.