We were present at the 12th HEPA Europe conference in Leuven, on 13th September 2023, where we shared insights into our efforts towards enhancing the well-being of urban communities.

The HEPA Europe 2023 conference, themed “Implementing Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Research: from Science to Policy and Practice,” brought together a diverse audience of scientists, policymakers, professionals, and stakeholders. Its primary objective was to foster the translation of scientific knowledge into actionable policies and practices promoting health-enhancing physical activity.

VARCITIES was represented at the conference by its project coordinator, Denia Kolokotsa from lead partner Technical University of Crete (Energy Management in the Built Environment Research Lab, EMBER), along with E2ARC (Sara Van Rompaey) and Crowdhelix (Valeria Pulieri). The three of them co-presented a session dedicated to our project, highlighting the 28 visionary solutions implemented across seven pilot cities, ranging from enhancing green spaces for improved quality of life to promoting climate awareness and biodiversity.

The session’s focus areas included stakeholder engagement, inclusiveness, and experience, bridging the digital and physical realms, strategies for stimulating and measuring physical activities in cities, and fostering ongoing collaboration within the Health Cities Helix community. The session garnered active participation and positive feedback, underlining the project’s commitment to shaping healthier, more sustainable urban futures.

For more information, discover the submitted abstract.