Belfast is a leading member of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Healthy Cities Network, which currently has 80 member cities across Europe. Our programmes are determined by the overarching themes and requirements for a WHO Healthy City, but are developed within a local context.

Health & Health Equity in all Local Policies(HHEiALP) is the overarching theme for cities participating in the WHO Phase V European Healthy Cities Network. Other core theme areas in the current Phase V (2009-2013) of the Network are:

• Caring & Supportive Environments
• Healthy Living
• Healthy Urban Environment & Design

Committed to improving the health and wellbeing of people living and working in Belfast through our intersectoral approach

Belfast Healthy Cities is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of people living and working in Belfast through our intersectoral approach. Our aim is to work with decision makers to develop innovative approaches to create a healthy city – a city which prioritises health and is committed to improving conditions for all its citizens.

Belfast Healthy Cities shapes, influences and develops healthy public policy. We promote equity and health improvement through intersectoral collaboration. We work closely with decision makers in government Departments and the public sector as well as the voluntary and community sectors.

The committed and focused work of Belfast Healthy Cities in testing new approaches has provided legitimacy for new policy development and initiatives at community, city and government level.

The main role of Belfast Healthy Cities is to work with organisations to facilitate change, and develop tools, strategies and ways of working which demonstrate the benefits of the approach and which organisations can integrate into their own practice to improve the population’s health.

The Healthy Cities programme in Europe and in Belfast has evolved over five year phases, with each Phase giving special attention to priority themes. Click here for information on the four previous phases of Belfast Healthy Cities, within the European Healthy Cities Network.

Belfast Healthy Cities is also currently providing an ongoing central role within the Network, as Secretariat of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network.