World Voice Day 2018
Only why the initiators decided on today's date of April 16 of all things could not be found out in the course of the research.
An international day of action in honour of the voiceWorld Voice Day was established as a special day of awareness, recognition, and celebration of the human voice. Voice is an important aspect of healthy and effective communication. The WVD brings worldwide awareness of the necessity of preventing voice issues, training the artistic voice, rehabilitating the sick or deviant voice as well as researching the application and function of the voice.
After all, the human voice is an extremely diverse organ which, as a communication tool, instrument and research object (of physics, psychology, art and medicine), represents an essential element of human expressiveness. In this respect, anyone who has lost their voice for several days due to hoarseness will understand their important role. Would you like more facts to prove this central role?
No problem. In addition to communication in the private sector, around 30 percent of all professional activities in the industrial nations fall into the so-called speaking professions. In addition, approximately 60 percent of all job descriptions in this frame of reference emphasize the necessity of communicative skills. In the truest sense of the word, everyone knows what we are talking about here.
The voice is more important than ever-in school, on the job, and for social interaction. But many abuse their voice by smoking, shouting, drinking, or poor speaking technique. When problems occur, treatment is often ignored, leading to more significant problems.
The World Voice Day goal is to encourage people using their voice for pleasure or business to learn how they can take care of their voice plus know how they can seek help as well as training and also support research that is carried on the voice. The production of voice is normally studied and applied in lots of disciplines like biology, art, phonetics, psychology, physics, music, speech-language pathology and medicine.
The power of voiceAs already mentioned throughout this blogpost the voice is part of what makes us humans unique. Not only because it is different from person to person, but moreover since it is delivering all kinds of hidden messages and emotions that we – even if we don’t intend to or simply don’t want to – are sending with each word we say. The same applies also if we don’t say anything at all. Being speechless can be just as informative about what is going on in a persons’ mind or heart as 1,000 words.
Working as an European volunteer you get to know about the power that voices can have more than you may have ever before. Not only because you intend to keep raising it for some relevant issue, of course, but also you get to experience first-hand how it can be used to create trust and connection, how it can unite but in the same way part people and how people can overcome their trauma and struggles by just following one single voice.
Even if it might not be understandable what another one is trying to tell us this persons’ voice can show you the way to find out what is meant or what the conversation is aiming at. This strength of power is something almost unique that can provide great assistance in building up bridges in multinational environments where most of the people do in deed not speak the same language.
This effect parallels with the situation of a mother and/or a father singing a song to their new-born child when it is not able (or willing) to fall asleep. This child does not yet understand the meaning of their words and still is able to find comfort and trust in them. Probably because of this widespread act, which is by far known by more than just a few cultural groups, we know have the chance to rely on this exact ability during our work.
More information on International Voice DayIn any case, it can be said that since its foundation in 1999, this day of action has been celebrated with numerous events, symposia, concerts, workshops, etc. all over the world. An overview can be found on the following websites:
Resources used
http://www.entnet.org/WorldVoiceDay
http://world-voice-day.org
written by Karolin VR