World AS Day 2025

World AS Day takes place on Saturday 3 May 2025.

This year the theme is ‘Lace up for axSpA’. The campaign highlights the everyday challenges of living with axSpA. Tying shoelaces is just one example of an ‘everyday challenge’ – the materials feature other tasks including drinking from a water bottle, checking traffic before crossing the road, reaching for something from a high shelf and bending to pick up something from the floor.

Working together, ASIF, our members, industry supporters and other key stakeholders, along with individuals who are affected by axSpA can raise awareness of axSpA with a global audience.

The World AS Day webpage is live and the campaign has begun with save the date messages being shared on social media. Over the coming months we hope to see many of our assets being shared across different challenges by you – our colleagues around the world.

The campaign assets have been designed to be used as is – or as templates. It is important that the campaign works for you and your organisation – so please translate and personalise the content. The most important thing is that you use it!   If you aren’t able to post directly – please share our posts.

 

 

Editable social media assets have been created in Canva to enable them to be translated and adapted for use by our colleagues around the world. In addition to social media assets, there are website banners and email footers, both static and animated versions of the World AS Day logo. Non-editable assets are also available to download and are ready to be used.

 

A new short video and social media teasers have been created, featuring people living with axSpA completing everyday tasks. The videos tell a story of how these tasks can be challenging for people living with axSpA. If you would like the videos translated into your local language, please contact Jo de Bry.   We recently held webinars introducing the campaign and sharing how to make the most of the materials. If you missed it, you can watch it by clicking on the link below.

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We invite you to ‘Lace up for axSpA’! Please share the corresponding social media posts and encourage your local community to get involved and raise awareness through their own social media channels.

Simply, take a photo or video of you tying your shoelaces – get some orange laces if you can – or you can use your regular laces. Post your photo or video on social media using #WorldASDay2025, #LaceUpForAxSpA and #EverydayChallanges.

Add something about your personal experience with axSpA – do you or a loved one have the condition?

You can add the following to your post:

 

You can insert the URL to your organisation’s World AS Day webpage or an article on your website.

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Hashtags

Use our hashtags to amplify your voice and be part of the conversation!

#WorldASDay2025, #LaceUpForAxSpA and #EverydayChallanges.

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Events

Promote your events on our webpage! Simply complete the form on the page and we will promote the event on our site and on social media.

 

The Chronic Pain Club Talk Show

Tune into Joel Nelson’s Talk Show on Sunday 4 May at 19:00 BST. Joel will chat to ASIF Trustee and psychologist Nadia Malliou about all things World AS Day and her experience of life with axSpA.

 

 

Alfasigma’s World AS Day Webinar

Alfasigma will raise awareness with their staff about axSpA during a webinar. Jo Davies, Jo Lowe and Jo de Bry will speak about ASIF, World AS Day, IMAS and living with axSpA.

We would be delighted to assist industry, our members and other stakeholders in raising awareness. Please contact Jo de Bry to find out how we can help.   

Event Details:

Dates: May 2-3, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
Location: Online – Join from anywhere in the world!
Cost: FREE

 

For the first time the Summit will include a Virtual Poster Hall. ASIF members are invited to submit a poster and presentation about their work. Contact Jo de Bry at ASIF if you have any questions or to find out more.  

 

Walk Your AS Off is an international virtual walking event! You can walk anywhere at any time, log your steps and be part of this exciting initiative to get people moving whilst raising awareness about axSpA.

 

*North American shipping only.  For international orders, please contact Sean Ewert at sean.ewert@spondylitis.org.

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World AS Day Social Media Grants

ASIF awarded full World AS Day Social Media Grants to Axial Spondyloarthritis Association of South Africa, Bekhterev Norge (Norway), Coordinadora Española de Asociaciones de Espondiloartritis (CEADE) (Spain), Panamanian Arthritis Foundation of Panama (FUNARP), Hellenic League Against Rheumatism (ENEANA) (Greece).

We also granted matched grants to Canadian Spondyloarthritis Association (CSA) and Instituto Gruparj Petrópolis (Brazil).

We are excited to see how the grants help each organisation raise awareness during the World AS Day campaign.

 

 

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