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Belfast Healthy Cities

Our vision is that Belfast is recognised globally
as a healthy, equitable and sustainable city

Healthy Cities 21st Century

Our Work

Our Work

Belfast Healthy Cities is part of the World Health Organization Healthy Cities Network, and our aim is to make Belfast a more healthy, equitable and sustainable city. We promote innovation, collaborative action and policies for better health and wellbeing for everyone.

A healthier Belfast means a better Belfast for all, and we work with central government and local councils, elected representatives and community leaders, local stakeholders and organisations from across the city and beyond. We also share learnings and best practice with other Healthy Cities around the world as we seek to achieve our goals.

World Health Organization (WHO) European Healthy Cities Network - Phase VII

The WHO European Healthy Cities Network consists of cities around the WHO European Region that are committed to health and sustainable development. They are also linked through national, regional, metropolitan and thematic Healthy Cities networks. A city joins the WHO European Healthy Cities Network based on criteria that are renewed every five years.

Each five-year phase focuses on core priority themes and is launched with a political declaration and a set of strategic goals. The strategic directon of Phase VII (2019-2024) is defined by the pursuit of the following 3 goals based on the Copenhagen Consensus of Mayors and the Belfast Charter:

Goal 1: Fostering health and well-being for all and reducing health inequities 

Goal 2: Leading by example nationally, regionally and globally

Goal 3: Supporting implementation of WHO strategic priorities

with a focus on the following themes

  • investing in the people who make up our cities;
  • designing urban places that improve health and well-being;
  • fostering greater participation and partnerships for health and well-being;
  • improving community prosperity and access to common goods and services;
  • promoting peace and security through inclusive societies; and 
  • protecting the planet from degradation, including through sustainable comsumption and production 

 

What is a Healthy City?

The World Health Organization has defined a healthy city by a process, not an outcome.

A healthy city is one that is conscious of the health of its citizens and is striving to improve them. Any city can be a healthy city, regardless of its current health status, so long as they are committed to health improvement and put in place the process and structures to achieve it.

A healthy city is one that continually creates and improves its physical and social environments and expands the community resources that enable people to mutually support each other in performing all the functions of life and developing to their maximum potential.