While urban infrastructure development and population dynamics continue to be major drivers of urbanisation, cities need to transform to achieve the ambitious goals of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). People’s health and wellbeing are at the heart of any urbanization process and calls for innovative, integrative and intelligent transformations in all sectors of the urban system.
The theme for the 16th International Conference on Urban Health (ICUH 2019) is People Oriented Urbanisation: Transforming Cities for Health and Well-Being. People oriented urbanisation is about liveable, sustainable and healthy cities. People’s health and well-being in cities is very much determined by the environments in which they live, work, and interact. Better understanding of how urban environments affect people’s mental, social and physical health is critical to creating liveable and healthy cities and communities. People oriented transformations for urban health are needed in every sector affecting city life and win-win solutions are needed to promote people’s health and well-being and generate co-benefits across these sectors.
ICUH 2019 takes place in Xiamen, China – where Sir Patrick Manson (1866–1889) once discovered that tropical infectious diseases require a vector for transmission. He is considered the founding father of tropical medicine and the discoverer of vector-borne infections. The city of Xiamen provides a unique opportunity for practitioners, researchers, educators, and decision makers from all over the world to come together, exchange experiences and knowledge, learn and motivate each other to make health urban transformations for and with people.
The conference has identified six thematic priorities:
1. Integrated Governance, Resilience and Health Risk Reduction
2. Climate Change and Healthy Cities
3. Economy, Trade, Employment and Social Inclusion
4. Emerging Diseases, Healthcare and Public Services
5. Urban-Rural Recoupling, Soil Security and Migration
6. Liveable Urban Environments, Urban Planning and Design
Extended theme information is available here.
Reasons to attend ICUH 2019:
Identify challenges and strategies to informing implementation of the SDGs and The New Urban Agenda
Meet experts from across sectors and disciplines to address the broader determinants of health
Expand your research and practice networks with colleagues from the global North and South
Share urban health challenges and solutions with policymakers and practitioners from high, middle and low income settings
Contribute to the evidence base for urban health policies and practice