On Thursday, three cities that have taken significant steps to promote healthier lifestyles for their residents were honored with awards by the World Health Organization (WHO). The cities of Córdoba in Argentina, Fortaleza in Brazil, and Manchester in the United Kingdom received recognition for their innovative initiatives in creating smoke-free parks, improving air quality, and implementing school lunch programs to combat obesity.
The awards were presented during the Healthy Cities Summit, held in Paris and co-hosted by WHO along with nonprofit organizations Bloomberg Philanthropies and Vital Strategies. The summit gathered mayors and officials from 61 cities worldwide to discuss strategies for building healthier local communities.
Córdoba: Eliminating Sugary Drinks in Schools
Córdoba was recognized for its groundbreaking policy aimed at eliminating sugary and artificially sweetened beverages, as well as ultra-processed foods, from all schools by 2026. Currently, 15,000 primary school children from 26 schools have already benefited from this initiative.
According to WHO Communications Officer Jaimie Guerra, “We are witnessing great progress in local leadership, with mayors around the world joining the fight to reduce the rates of major causes of death such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory illnesses.”
A Model to Follow
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated the three winning cities, highlighting their leadership as a model for other urban centers. “These cities are at the forefront of the fight against noncommunicable diseases and injuries,” he stated.
Similarly, Michael Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions, emphasized the significance of addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illnesses. He pointed out that these conditions are responsible for the vast majority of deaths worldwide.
Speaking at the summit, Bloomberg, the founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and former mayor of New York City, stated, “These diseases account for over 80% of all deaths globally. The good news, however, is that they are preventable.”
Fortaleza: Breathing Cleaner Air
Fortaleza, Brazil, was honored for implementing its first legal framework to monitor air quality, a crucial step in reducing air pollution and making it easier for people to breathe.
In 2023, municipal authorities in Fortaleza adopted a decree ensuring local monitoring of air pollutants and the installation of low-cost sensors to enhance data collection. This initiative marks a major advancement in the city’s efforts to improve air quality and protect public health.
Smoke-Free Parks in Greater Manchester
The metropolitan area of Manchester, known as Greater Manchester, received recognition for its ongoing efforts to reduce tobacco consumption. The city introduced its first 2.6-hectare smoke-free park as part of a broader initiative to create healthier public spaces.
Additionally, Greater Manchester launched a toolkit to support smoke-free hospitals and is developing a comprehensive set of measures to assist organizations in establishing tobacco-free environments. This initiative aligns with the city’s commitment to reducing smoking-related illnesses and promoting healthier living.
A Global Network for Healthier Cities
The Paris summit welcomed representatives from various cities, including Dhaka (Bangladesh), Helsinki (Finland), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Lusaka (Zambia), and Quito (Ecuador). These urban centers are part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of 74 metropolitan areas launched in 2017 to implement policies and programs aimed at preventing noncommunicable diseases and injuries.
“These programs are truly making a difference,” said WHO’s Jaimie Guerra. She added that most cities in the alliance have populations exceeding one million, collectively impacting more than 300 million people worldwide.
By recognizing and supporting cities that prioritize public health, the WHO and its partners aim to inspire more urban centers to take proactive steps in creating environments that promote well-being and disease prevention. As these initiatives continue to expand, they serve as a testament to the power of local leadership in fostering healthier communities worldwide.