PAHO Salutes Sesame Street on 40th Anniversary

Washington, D.C., 11 November 2009 (PAHO) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) today wishes Sesame Street a "Happy 40th Birthday."

"PAHO applauds the entire Sesame Street team for its outstanding contributions to health education and child development over the past four decades and Sesame Workshop for partnering with PAHO to encourage parents throughout the hemisphere to immunize their children during Vaccination Week in the Americas. The world is a better place for children because of Sesame Street's vision and commitment."

—Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, Director, PAHO

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street and Plaza Sésamo, was named a PAHO Champion of Health earlier this year. Since 2003, PAHO and Sesame Workshop have been collaborating in a partnership encouraging parents throughout the Americas to immunize their children during Vaccination Week in the Americas.

Sesame Workshop's partnership with PAHO compliments their recently launched Plaza Sésamo"Healthy Habits for Life initiative," which encourages children in Latin America to exercise, eat healthy foods and develop healthy habits that are simple and fun and can be practiced forever.

The Pan American Health Organization, founded in 1902, works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their peoples. It serves as the Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO).