WHO Healthy Cities showcase how Cities@Heart will tackle urban cardiovascular disease
- Warren John
- Jul 13
- 2 min read
New video series highlights how seven WHO Healthy Cities will strengthen local action to prevent cardiovascular disease through the Cities@Heart project.
How can cities play a leading role in reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease? A new series of videos from the Cities@Heart project gives the floor to representatives from the participating WHO European Healthy Cities, who share how they plan to use the project to strengthen local interventions, foster collaboration and improve cardiovascular health in their communities.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in Europe, with many of its risk factors closely linked to the environments in which people live, work and move. Cities therefore have a crucial role to play in creating healthier urban environments that support prevention, reduce health inequalities and promote long-term wellbeing.
The Cities@Heart project brings together seven WHO Healthy Cities – Belfast, Birmingham, Cork, İzmir, Łódź, Udine and Utrecht – to co-design, implement and evaluate innovative approaches to preventing cardiovascular disease at the local level. By working closely with researchers, healthcare providers, policymakers, citizens and community organisations, the project aims to generate practical solutions that can be adapted and replicated across Europe.
Cities sharing their vision for healthier futures
In the newly released videos, representatives from three of the participating cities (İzmir, Utrecht and Birmingham) explain:
how cardiovascular disease affects their local communities;
the public health priorities they are addressing through Cities@Heart;
how the project will help strengthen and expand existing interventions;
why collaboration between European cities is essential for accelerating innovation and sharing good practice; and
their ambition to create healthier, more equitable urban environments where everyone has the opportunity to live a heart-healthy life.
Together, the videos illustrate the strength of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network as a platform for learning, innovation and collective action. While each city faces its own challenges, they share a common commitment to reducing the impact of cardiovascular disease through evidence-informed, community-centred approaches.
Watch the latest videos from the city representatives here
We invite you to hear directly from our city partners about their ambitions for the project and how Cities@Heart will support local action to reduce urban cardiovascular disease. Their insights demonstrate that improving heart health is not only a healthcare challenge; it is also an urban challenge, requiring collaboration across sectors, disciplines and communities.
Utrecht
Izmir
Birmingham
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