ENLIGHTENme: Promoting Urban Health through Health City Management

On February 20th and 21st 2024, an educational event on the theme of Health City Management took place at the Tassinari Hall of Palazzo D’Accursio, as part of the European project ENLIGHTENme. The event was coordinated by the Health City Institute in collaboration with the Municipality of Bologna and the University, with the support of the Urban Innovation Foundation (FIU), highlighting the importance of involving all stakeholders to ensure the success of the initiative.

Bringing together a diverse audience composed of experts from the Urban Planning and Culture sectors, community representatives, social services and Neighborhood Network Offices of Asp “Città di Bologna” operators, the initiative aimed to deeply explore the concept of urban health, focusing on the importance of a holistic and multisectoral approach. Health City Management, proposed as an innovative strategy to address health challenges in cities, was at the center of the discussions. This approach, inspired by principles set forth by the WHO, embraces a broad vision that considers psychological, environmental, territorial planning, social, cultural, economic and other aspects to reduce inequalities and promote a healthy urban environment. It focuses on collaboration among local administrators to create integrated policies that improve the psycho-physical well-being of urban communities. Lastly, it encourages a transdisciplinary approach to the development and implementation of health-oriented public policies, facilitating dialogue among different institutions and administrative sectors.

During the two days of work, several crucial themes were addressed, from the importance of electric light in the urban environment to vulnerability assessment. Special attention was also dedicated to the value of public-private partnerships and communication as a fundamental tool to engage the community in health promotion.

The event provided a valuable platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences among participants, paving the way for future collaborations. A comprehensive framework of challenges and opportunities related to urban health emerged. The result of the two events represented an important step forward in promoting health-oriented urban policies and provided valuable insights for the future development of the ENLIGHTENme project, driven by the desire to make our cities increasingly healthy and inclusive for all urban communities.

 

Ultimo aggiornamento: venerdì 05 aprile 2024