What is the World Heart Federation?

The World Heart Federation (WHF) is a global organization working to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and improve heart health worldwide. It describes itself as leading the global fight against CVD, which it identifies as the world's biggest killer, and it unites heart health experts, policymakers, and advocates around that mission. If you want to understand who is behind global heart-health advocacy, where major CVD campaigns and reports come from, or how to plug into the international heart community, this is the organization to know.

Mission and positioning

WHF frames its work around a single goal: heart health for all. Its stated approach has three visible pillars, each presented on its site:

• Heart Health — public-facing education and awareness about cardiovascular disease, built on the message that CVD "doesn't have to be" the world's biggest killer.
• Our Impact — championing change and policies grounded in science to secure access to prevention, treatment, and care.
• WHF Community — convening a global heart community of 200+ members to share knowledge and implement evidence.

The organization positions itself at the intersection of science, policy, and advocacy rather than as a direct provider of clinical care.

The scale of the problem it addresses

WHF's own figures give the context for its work:

These numbers are the reason the organization frames CVD as the world's leading cause of death and centers its strategy on prevention, treatment, and care access.

Key programmes and initiatives

WHF runs and coordinates several named efforts. The main ones visible on its site:

• World Heart Day (29 September 2026) — its flagship awareness campaign. The 2026 theme is "Heart disease can hide in plain sight: don't miss a beat." WHF invites participation by downloading free digital assets, sharing a heart health story, and taking a World Heart Day quiz.
• World Heart Vision 2030 — a shared global vision to strengthen collaboration with key sectors and policymakers.
• World Heart Observatory — described as the first global data hub for cardiovascular disease.
• World Heart Report 2026 — its annual flagship report; the 2026 edition focuses on congenital heart disease.
• World Congress of Cardiology 2026 — the global cardiovascular community meets in Rio de Janeiro from 8–10 October.
• 2nd World Congress on Rheumatic Heart Disease — bringing together experts, advocates, and people living with RHD in Perth, Western Australia.
• World Heart Summit — an international event at the intersection of policy, advocacy, science, and innovation.
• Roadmap on cardiac rehabilitation — a pathway to lifelong cardiovascular health.
• Podcast — recent episode covers lipid guidelines and global cardiovascular prevention.

There is also a Geneva-based World Heart Day celebration tied to a football match (Servette FC vs Olympique Lyonnais, UEFA Women's Championship League, 23 September 2026, Stade de Genève), reflecting the organization's use of sport and public events in its campaigning.

Who it is for

WHF's audience is broad but specific in function:

• Health professionals and researchers — through congresses, reports, and the Observatory.
• Policymakers and advocates — through Vision 2030, the Summit, and science-grounded policy work.
• Member organizations — the 200+ member community that shares knowledge and implements evidence.
• The general public — through World Heart Day assets, quizzes, and heart health storytelling.

How to engage

The site's primary calls to action are to "Join Us" / "Join our mission" and to subscribe for updates via its CRM. If you are looking for campaign materials, the World Heart Day page offers free digital assets; if you want data, the Observatory and annual report are the entry points; if you want to attend, the Congress and Summit pages carry the event details.