Smile Train Launches Global “Smile Wall” Campaign to Celebrate World Smile Day®

New York, NY – September 25, 2025 – In honor of World Smile Day® on October 3, Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization, is proud to announce the Smile Wall campaign, a global, community-driven initiative that embraces connection, positivity, and the power of a smile while rallying support for children with cleft lips and palates.

Beginning today and continuing through the first week of October, Smile Walls will appear in hospitals, schools, and other public areas worldwide. These installations are physical or digital sites where people can post messages or drawings that reflect what makes them smile, transforming blank spaces into visual displays of positivity.

“We want this campaign to remind everyone that what makes us smile can also inspire positivity to others,” said Smile Train’s President and CEO, Susannah Schaefer. “By participating, you can help spark a ripple effect of smiles that uplift everyone while supporting those affected by clefts.”

Every three minutes, a baby is born with a cleft, a facial difference that can cause significant challenges eating, speaking, hearing, and breathing. Smile Walls symbolize how something as simple as a smile can do more than brighten someone’s day — it can represent the promise of a healthier, brighter future for children with clefts.

“World Smile Day® is a special opportunity to remind people of the importance of a smile,” said Dan Carriero, Smile Train’s Global Creative Director. “A Smile Wall gives everyone a chance to share the little moments that make them smile and see how, together, those moments can create something bigger.”

World Smile Day® occurs annually on the first Friday in October. It encourages acts that uplift others and honors the original spirit behind the iconic yellow smiley face image.

Join the celebration by visiting a local Smile Wall or creating one in your own school, workplace, community center, or anywhere else you want to bring smiles. You can also join the movement online by creating or contributing to a digital Smile Wall. Find more information on how to get involved at https://www.smiletrain.org/wsd.  

About Smile Train:

Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and other comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.

Media Contact:

Emily Gay
Public Relations Strategist
egay@smiletrain.org
(561) 308-0089