Urban Health in Mediterranean Cities:
Understanding the Evidence, Discussing Action
The University of Cyprus hosts a seminar on the U-CARE project and the challenges of creating healthier cities
The Department of Architecture of the University of Cyprus is organizing the seminar titled ‘Urban health in Mediterranean cities: understanding the evidence, discussing action’, to be held on Friday, 31st October 2025, between 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., at the Events Hall of the Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus, at 75 Kallipoleos Avenue, Nicosia. The event is organized within the framework of the U-CARE project, funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme.
The seminar will bring together academics, policymakers, local authorities, and practitioners to explore how cities can promote health and wellbeing through better planning, governance, and design. The event will present research evidence on the impact of the urban environment on human health and showcase findings from the U-CARE project’s four case studies in Gothenburg, Berlin, Florence, and Nicosia. The local case study examines the area surrounding the Makarios Hospital.
Among the distinguished speakers is Prof. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Director of Urban Planning, Environment and Health at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and a world-leading expert in epidemiology and urban health, who will speak on the topic ‘Climate change, cities and health in the Mediterranean.’
The second part of the event will focus on local strategies and practices. Ms. Chrystalla Kaiafa from the Ministry of Health will present the WHO Healthy Cities Network strategies and their implementation in Cyprus, while Dr. Fotoula Hadjipapa, Mayor of Lakatamia, will share insights from the perspective of local government on making cities healthier through local initiatives.
The seminar aims to foster dialogue among stakeholders, students, and the public on how to translate scientific evidence into practical actions that improve the urban environment, health, and quality of life.
The event is open to the public and will be conducted in both English and Greek. A light lunch will follow the discussion.
Seminar programme:
09:30 Registration
10:00 – 10:15 Welcome and introduction to the U-CARE project (English)
10:15 – 11:00 Climate change, cities and health in the Mediterranean (English – Online). Prof. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen – Barcelona Institute for Global Health
11:00 – 11:30 Research findings from the U-CARE case studies: Gothenburg, Berlin, Florence, Nicosia (English)
11:30 – 11:45 Break (15′)
11:45 – 11:50 Welcome and introduction to the second session (Greek).
11:50 – 12:10 The WHO Healthy Cities Network: strategies and implementation in Cyprus (Greek). Chrystalla Kaiafa – Ministry of Health
12:10 – 12:20 Lessons learned from WeeDRIVE in Limassol (Greek). Christos Gartzonikas – MaaSLab
12:20 – 12:40 From strategies to practice: making our cities healthier (Greek). Dr. Fotoula Hadjipapa – Mayor of Lakatamia
12:40 – 13:00 Questions and Open Discussion (Greek)