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Belfast Healthy Cities is dedicated to promoting a healthier, more sustainable Belfast by integrating health and well-being into all aspects of our lives.
Through innovative programs and partnerships, we work to address health inequalities and promote environments where everyone here thrives.
Belfast has been a proud and active member of the WHO Healthy Cities Network since it was designated membership by the World Health Organization (WHO) over 35 years ago.
In Belfast, our focus has been on health equity and the social determinants of health and in the time since joining the network, Belfast Healthy Cities has through a partnership approach to policy development, introduced a number of new concepts which are now mainstream Government policy at a local and regional level.
In Belfast, much has been achieved but challenges remain: the gains in health for the people of the city are not evenly distributed across social groups and tackling socially determined inequalities requires policy makers to strengthen capacity to systemically act on the social determinants of health and reduce health inequalities.
The network is an open and collaborative one, where we exchange our knowledge and ideas on both policy and practical work, with the aim of bringing new ways of thinking and working to each city as we continue to strive for health equity and a healthier population. We apply the learnings from our cities to help us locally, sharing it across local and regional networks, and with our partner organisation, whilst also showcasing the very best projects from Belfast across the Network.
Belfast plays a very integral role in the European Healthy Cities Network, from being one of the first members to hosting the WHO European Healthy Cities Network International Healthy Cities Conference twice, where members cities and public health experts come together to exchange ideas, learn about innovation from across the network and agree how public health policy can be advanced.
Our mission is to make Belfast a leading example of innovative practices that improve health and well-being for all its residents – the people that live, work and visit here.
We value collaboration, equity, sustainability, and innovation in all our efforts to create a healthier city that we can all enjoy.
A Healthy City is one that is continually creating and improving physical and social environments and expanding community resources. That enables people to mutually support each other in performing all the functions of life and in developing to their maximum potential.
As part of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network, we are committed to promoting health and sustainable development at the local level, here in Belfast.
Our vision is to ensure Belfast is recognised globally
as a healthy, equitable and sustainable city for everyone.
Our team is made up of dedicated professionals from health, urban planning, and community development sectors, working together to bring about positive change in Belfast.
Get in touch with us by e-mailing info@belfasthealthycities.com or click one of our social links below.
Our governance structure ensures that Belfast Healthy Cities operates with transparency and accountability, guided by a non-executive board of sector leaders in public health, urban planning, and community engagement.
Our Board Members are:
We collaborate with a wide range of partner organisations, including local government, NGOs, educational institutions, and community groups, to maximise our impact.
As part of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network, we align with WHO Europe’s strategic goals to promote health, well-being, and equity across Europe and globally.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They were created with the aim of “peace and prosperity for people and the planet…” – while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests.