The European Commission will stress the vital link between animal and public health and the importance of cooperation between the veterinary and public health fields tomorrow, during World Veterinary Day.

Recent outbreaks of avian influenza and Q fever remind us that public and animal health are intimately connected. The rise of new and emerging infectious diseases threatens not only animal health but also humans, including our food supply and our economies.

This year, the theme of World Veterinary Day is 'One World, One Health: more cooperation between veterinarians and physicians'. Veterinarians play a crucial role in the link between animals, their owners and society at large, as they are responsible not only for animal health, but also animal welfare, public health, food safety and food security.

This concept will also be highlighted during the World Veterinary Year, which will take place in 2011, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the creation of the first veterinary faculty in the world that was set up in Lyon, France.

The Commission's Directorate General for Health and Consumers will use its 'One Health' road-show to highlight the importance of animal health to human health during World Veterinary Day, in Maamess, Estonia. Maamess is one of the main agricultural fairs for the Baltic countries and this year will be at its 19th edition.

The road show follows the EU Veterinary Week of 2009. The 2010 EU Veterinary Week will take place 14 to 20 June.