Distinguished guests,
Partners, Colleagues and Friends,
A good morning to you all. Cities are the nerve-centers of our societies. They are the hubs of policy and governance, of commerce, industry and activity.
This WHO South-East Asia region of ours is home to 10 of the planet’s megacities, and our rapid pace of urbanization shows no signs of slowing down. The health of our cities, therefore, plays an outsized role in the health of our nations.
I am very pleased to be here to honor your efforts to transform the health and well-being of your cities. This journey has not been easy. It’s taken years of dedication—assessing local needs, crafting city health profiles, and designing plans that deliver real, measurable change for the people you serve. I am inspired by your perseverance.
I am delighted to see the strong commitment from governors and mayors to local administrations, health officials, NGOs, and – of course - the residents themselves. Today, we’re not just recognizing your work - we’re amplifying it, to create healthier and more vibrant cities where everyone can thrive.
For the first time, the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office is proud to partner with 23 pioneering cities across 8 countries in our region. Ten of these cities met the criterion to earn the title of WHO Healthy Cities. My congratulations to them.
We know every city is unique and starts from a different place, shaped by different social, economic, and human circumstances. This reality is why these awards celebrate not perfection, but progress: acknowledging the steps taken over two years, and the plans set for the future. As we celebrate your achievements to date, with WHO’s Healthy Cities framework to guide you, we hope the best is still to come.
The awards we are giving today are, first and foremost, the result of improved urban governance addressing many interlocking determinants of health. These determinants range from environmental and social, to economic and commercial, and include sustainable development.
The cities have shown how to improve health and wellbeing by creating active space for physical activities, safe pedestrian footpaths, clean and green environments, reducing carbon emissions, outreach programmes for vulnerable populations, social protection funds, and much more.
I congratulate each and every one of you for placing health and wellbeing at the core of your cities, and for embracing a whole-of-society approach for change in behavior.
Thank you for your vision, your courage, and your leadership. Let’s keep the momentum alive.