Three cities committed to public health have received prestigious awards from the World Health Organization (WHO) for their efforts in improving urban well-being. Córdoba (Argentina), Fortaleza (Brazil), and Manchester (UK) were honored for their groundbreaking initiatives. This recognition took place at the Healthy Cities Summit in Paris. The event was co-hosted by WHO, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Vital Strategies.
CÓRDOBA: REVOLUTIONIZING SCHOOL NUTRITION
The Argentine city was recognized for its ambitious plan to eliminate sugary drinks, artificial sweeteners, and ultra-processed foods from all schools by 2026. Already, 15,000 primary schoolchildren across 26 schools have benefited from the policy, setting a strong precedent for other cities aiming to become healthy cities.
FORTALEZA: TACKLING AIR POLLUTION
Fortaleza became the first Brazilian city to establish a legal framework for air quality surveillance. In 2023, it implemented a decree ensuring continuous air pollution monitoring and installed low-cost sensors to enhance data collection. These measures aim to reduce respiratory illnesses and improve public health, contributing to the city’s overall healthiness.
MANCHESTER: LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST TOBACCO
Greater Manchester earned accolades for its bold anti-smoking initiatives. The city introduced its first smoke-free 6.5-acre park and developed a toolkit to promote tobacco-free hospitals and public spaces. Efforts are underway to expand these policies across more areas, making this city a leading example of a healthy city.
A GLOBAL EFFORT TO CURB NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
The Healthy Cities Summit gathered mayors and policymakers from 61 cities. They discussed strategies for tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses, all impacting the health of cities globally.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the award-winning cities, calling them models for other urban centers worldwide. “Their efforts demonstrate how local leadership can drive meaningful change in global health,” he stated, emphasizing their roles in creating healthy cities.
UN Special Envoy Michael Bloomberg emphasized the urgency of addressing NCDs, which account for over 80% of global deaths. “The good news is, these diseases are preventable with the right policies,” Bloomberg said, underscoring the importance of healthy city initiatives.
A GROWING NETWORK FOR HEALTHIER CITIES
The summit featured representatives from cities like Dhaka, Helsinki, Colombo, Lusaka, and Quito. These urban centers are part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities. This is a global network of 74 cities launched in 2017. The network aims to combat NCDs and injuries through policy-driven action.
“These programs are making a real impact,” said WHO Communications Officer Jaimie Guerra. “Most participating cities have populations over one million, covering more than 300 million people worldwide.”
As more cities adopt health-focused policies, WHO hopes to see a global shift toward sustainable urban well-being. The success of Córdoba, Fortaleza, and Manchester serves as inspiration for cities worldwide to invest in long-term public health strategies to become truly healthy cities.
