Forty-eighth Regional Committee for Europe: Copenhagen, 14-18 September 1998: resolution: Healthy Cities: strengthening action for health for all at local and city levels in the European Region of WHO

REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR EUROPE Forty-eighth session, Copenhagen, 14 - 18 September 1998 RESOLUTION W ORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION Regional Office for Europe Copenhagen EUR/RC48/R3 15 September 1998 10278 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH H e a l t h y C it ie s Strengthening action for health for all at local and city levels in the European Region o f WHO The Regional Committee, Recognizing the vital role that city governments can play in promoting health and sustainable development, and the fact that action at local and city levels is an essential component of any national or subnational strategy or programme for attaining health for all (HFA); 1. COMMENDS the Regional Office for Europe on the work it has done in the past ten years to promote HFA-based action through the Healthy Cities movement; 2. WELCOMES the Athens Declaration for Healthy Cities and the strategy for attaining the goals of phase III (1998-2002) o f the WHO Healthy Cities project; 11948 3. WELCOMES the establishment of the WHO European Centre for Urban Health at the Regional Office for Europe; EUR/RC48/R3 page 2 4. URGES all Member States: (a) to develop and integrate the local action dimension in their health policies and strategies, and to draw on the experience and insights o f cities of WHO’s Healthy Cities network in analysing and responding to local health conditions using intersectoral approaches; (b) to support national networks o f healthy cities in their coordinating and capacity-building role; 5. REQUESTS the Regional Director: (a) to provide leadership and strategic support in work towards the goals o f phase III (1998— 2002) of the Healthy Cities project; (b) to promote capacity-building and networking for healthy cities in all Member States o f the European Region; (c) to promote and encourage the development o f local action components in all W HO’s technical areas.