Three urban areas lauded for their significant advancements in public health services and initiatives.
City living is on the rise, as I've previously point out in Forbes.* That's city with a "c," meaning more and more folks are calling metropolitan areas their home. This urban boom has a significant impact on their health. It can be a curse when cities allow pollution, crime, accidents, and other health hazards to spiral out of control. Or it can be a blessing, as showcased by the three cities that earned the 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Awards at the 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit in Paris, France.
City Health Gathering
The Summit was co-hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Health Organization (WHO), Vital Strategies, and you guessed it, the City of Paris. It brought together mayors and city officials from 61 different cities around the world who are all part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities network.
Kelly Larson, MPH, the Partnership's director for Bloomberg Philanthropies, explained, "To join this network, the mayors or their equivalents must have full buy-in." The network now has a total of 74 cities, launched in 2017 and continuously growing since. "It includes cities of all income levels," Larson added. "We've identified specific non-communicable disease or injury issues that the cities can work on: tobacco, food policy, road safety, drug overdose prevention, pollution surveillance, and, most recently, heat-related issues."
During the Summit, participants discussed the most pressing public health dilemmas facing cities and the world, along with possible solutions, rather than just passing blame. The Partnership includes a Policy Accelerator, offering training and support for cities to implement effective strategies like those of the three award-winning cities. These cities earned their accolades by taking concrete steps in preventing noncommunicable diseases, injuries, or both.
In a statement, Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, and the 108th mayor of New York City, reminded everyone that "Noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and injuries account for more than 80% of global deaths, but the good news is: They can be prevented."
The Three 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Awardees
Now, without further ado, meet the three laureates and their respective accomplishments:
- Córdoba, Argentina: Situated in central Argentina, Córdoba passed a new policy aimed at eliminating sugary and artificially sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods from all of its schools by 2026. Such foods have been linked to increased risks for cancer and various non-communicable diseases. The policy has already been implemented in 26 schools.
- Fortaleza, Brazil: Based in Ceará, Northeastern Brazil, and the country's fourth-largest city, Fortaleza issued an air quality surveillance decree in 2023 to monitor for the presence of air pollutants and their potential impact on the population's health. After all, it's hard to combat what you can't see, and Fortaleza's pollution is far from invisible.
- Greater Manchester, UK: Located in North West England, Greater Manchester took on smoking, a known cause of various cancers and respiratory ailments, by increasing the number of smoke-free areas and providing workshops, consultations, toolkits, and other resources to help people and places go smoke-free. As part of this initiative, the city established its first ever smoke-free park, spanning 6.5 acres.
In a statement, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the winners by stating, "Cities are leading the charge against noncommunicable diseases and injuries. The progress made in Córdoba, Fortaleza, and Greater Manchester is improving health today while setting a model for others to follow."
The Future of the Partnership for Healthy Cities Network
These awardees have proven that dedication to improving the health and well-being of their residents and following scientific evidence can yield remarkable results. Sadly, such commitment is not always evident at the national government level, as evidenced by recent drastic cuts in U.S. public health personnel, funding, and resources. There's also been significant cuts in U.S. support for major international health and public health organizations.
As a result, an increasing proportion of public health responsibilities might shift to cities. Larson recognized the challenges facing the world's cities but remained hopeful about their potential. "This is a challenging time for global public health," she admitted. "But we believe in the power of cities." She pointed out the successes achieved in New York City during former Mayor Bloomberg's tenure, emphasizing, "By prioritizing cities and public health using Mike's approach, we can create a positive city situation."
In other words, the state of city health isn't all doom and gloom. In fact, with the right resources, attitudes, and policies in place, cities could be tomorrow's beacon of hope.
- The 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit, co-hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Health Organization, Vital Strategies, and the City of Paris, showcased science and health-and-wellness by bringing together city officials from around the world to discuss and address the public health concerns of noncommunicable diseases and injuries.
- The three cities awarded in the Partnership for Healthy Cities Awards, Córdoba, Argentina, Fortaleza, Brazil, and Greater Manchester, UK, have demonstrated success in improving their citizens' health through initiatives focused on tobacco control, food policy, air quality surveillance, and eliminating sugary and artificially sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods in schools.
