International Noise Awareness Day is a global campaign, founded in 1996 by the Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC), aiming to raise awareness of the effects of noise on the welfare and health of people. Noise affects people in many ways, but only deafness and annoyance receive actual interest from the general public. Worldwide, people are called upon to take part via various actions on this occasion: open days on hearing from acousticians, lectures in public health departments, universities and schools, panels of experts, noise level measuring actions, and readings.