Issuing and Using a Proclamation

A proclamation is an official designation of an event issued by governors, mayors, county executives, state legislatures, municipalities, counties, cities or towns. It is an effective tool for gaining public recognition and carries the full support of a government official in your state or community.

How to Get a Proclamation Issued

Contact your local government official's communications office to identify the steps to take to designate March 10, 2009 National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in your community. To find contact information for your mayor or governor go online or call his or her office. Send them a draft of the proclamation so they have to do as little work as possible.

What Should a Proclamation Say?

The proclamation should declare March 10, 2009 National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and it should be signed by your local government official, noting that he or she supports the observance. The proclamation should discuss the importance of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day as well as the importance of raising awareness of HIV/AIDS among women in your community.

How to Use a Proclamation

Reach Out to Your Local Media

Send a media advisory and press release to your local media announcing the proclamation and personalize it with information specific to your organization and community. For a guide on how to reach out to the media and for a template press release, please visit www.womenshealth.gov/NWGHAAD/planning-materials/.

A press release should:

• Give background information about National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, explain why the proclamation was issued and who issued it, provide information about HIV/AIDS as it relates to women and detail what the proclamation means to your community.
• Include quotes from the government official issuing the proclamation. It may also include a quote from the individual or organization who worked to have the proclamation signed or an organization who works on HIV/AIDS awareness in your community.

Once the press release is written, send it to reporters at your local newspaper, TV and radio stations and remember to follow up. You should also send copies of your proclamation to local newspapers, with a fact sheet that includes local information and statistics. It's also a good idea to have the proclamation printed in business or community newsletters, including newsletters for hospitals and local community health centers.

Hold an Event

Publicize the proclamation by holding a news conference or public event when the proclamation is signed. Invite reporters and local health organizations and distribute printed copies of the proclamation during the signing. You can also have the proclamation photo-enlarged to poster size to display at the news conference, event or your office.

Distribute the Proclamation

Send the proclamation to local health organizations and local government officials, including the mayor or governor, and encourage them to display the proclamation. It's also a good idea to have the proclamation posted to your Web site and on the Web site of the official who signed the proclamation.