Healthy Cities Project: Phase IV

Abstract

Healthy Cities is a dynamic concept/approach, which seeks to put health high on the political and social agenda of cities and to build a strong movement for public health at the local level. The WHO European Healthy Cities Network consists of a network of cities from around Europe that are committed to a comprehensive implementation of the Healthy Cities concept. Based on the criteria that are renewed every five years, the cities are designated to the WHO Network. Each five-year phase focuses on a number of core priority themes, which are launched with a political declaration and a set of strategic aims. Phase IV (2003–2008) has three core themes being, healthy urban planning, health impact assessment, and healthy ageing, with additional core theme and encourages action to tackle obesity and promote physical activity and active living. In Slovenia, Celje with its around 50.000 inhabitants become one of the 50 cities, included in basic WHO Healthy Cities Network in the Phase IV of the project. It is presented as an example to illustrate this phase of the project.