The World Health Organization (WHO) will feature a special screening of selected short films from the Health for All Film Festival (HAFF) at the 2025 European Healthy Cities Network Annual Business Meeting, hosted by the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality on 17-19 June.
Under the conference theme, "Resilient Healthy Cities: Creating Sustainable Urban Futures for All," the screening on 19 June will feature a selection of impactful HAFF short films, showcasing various aspects of urban health and well-being through film contributions from both 2024 as well as past years HAFF festival editions. The session is followed by Q&A with the conference audience, promising to spark meaningful discussions on the urgent challenges cities are facing today—from climate change and mental health to equitable access to care and resilient communities.
The HAFF screening will feature award-winning and officially selected films that elevate voices from around the world. These stories echo the conference’s core topics: building healthy urban environments, reducing inequalities, and advancing sustainability and well-being for all.
Please visit HAFF’s playlist of winning films and more playlists on WHO’s YouTube channel: (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9S6xGsoqIBWS_JUFdjXpdvLL86R_8VQq)
The films to be screened Bursa, Türkiye, include:
- “Pacing the Pool” by Radheya Jegatheva, which explores the importance of blue spaces, physical activity in urban settings, and accessibility for individuals with disabilities. It also shows how physical activity is a key component of healthy ageing.
- “Cooling Down Penang”, made by BBC StoryWorks for Think City, addresses the role of green spaces in cooling urban environments, mitigating flooding, and their overall impact on cities.
- “Why is Everyone So Silent About Noise Pollution?” casts a light into the effects of noise pollution on stress, hearing, and mental health, particularly among children. This animation was made by Saad Chowdhury, Debashis Howlader, Md. Mohai Minul Islam, Sajid Chowdhury.
- “ADA – The Island”, Directed by Mahmut TaŞ (Türkiye), set in a drought-stricken village, follows a young girl named Ada, whose family considers leaving due to a growing water crisis. Determined to share her story, Ada takes her camera to the once-full lake near her village—now dry and cracked—visiting the island that bears her name. The film is a poignant reminder of the climate crisis' emotional and environmental toll on children and communities.
- Lastly, “Cycle Path,” the Very Short Film Prize of the 5th HAFF in 2024 by Red Wade, features the benefits of cycling, combining an important message with a musical twist.
The WHO European Healthy Cities Network, which comprises over 1900 cities across the Region, is working to promote health and well-being through innovative policies and urban design. Cities can join by committing to the Network’s core principles of health equity, sustainability and participatory governance. This year’s gathering in Bursa will focus on how cities can lead the way in building health-focused, sustainable futures.
If you are a city leader in the European Region seeking to amplify your city’s health initiatives, you can join the Network by emailing eurohealthycities@who.int.
For questions about the WHO European Healthy Cities Conference, email the Secretariat at eurohealthycities@who.int.