Córdoba, Fortaleza, and Greater Manchester Win 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Awards

Each of the recognized cities demonstrated measurable success through policy innovations, community engagement, and implementation of sustainable public health strategies.

During the 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit held in Paris, three global cities — Córdoba, Argentina; Fortaleza, Brazil; and Greater Manchester, United Kingdom — were honored for their innovative leadership and impactful actions in preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries. The annual summit, co-hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Health Organization (WHO), Vital Strategies, and the City of Paris, brought together mayors and high-ranking officials from 61 member cities to exchange strategies for improving urban health and saving lives.

Each of the recognized cities demonstrated measurable success through policy innovations, community engagement, and implementation of sustainable public health strategies. Their work, aligned with the goals of the Partnership’s Policy Accelerator program, serves as a replicable model for cities around the globe seeking to improve the health and wellbeing of their populations.

“Noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and injuries are responsible for more than 80% of all deaths globally, but the good news is, they are preventable,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, and former mayor of New York City. “Cities are leading the way in implementing policies that are protecting public health and saving lives. This year’s winning cities are proving that progress is possible with strong leadership and political will.”

Recognized Initiatives:

• Córdoba, Argentina Córdoba enacted a bold, city-wide healthy school food policy that bans sugary and artificially sweetened beverages, as well as ultra-processed foods, from all schools by 2026. The initiative already impacts 26 schools and 15,000 children, with plans to expand across the city's 138,000 primary students. The goal is to instill healthier eating habits early, reduce childhood obesity, and prevent future diet-related diseases.

• Fortaleza, Brazil Fortaleza established its first legal framework for air quality surveillance in 2023. The local decree mandates continuous air pollution monitoring and the deployment of low-cost sensors across the city to track pollutants in real time. This data will shape future regulations and urban planning, targeting reductions in pollution-related health issues such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory illnesses.

• Greater Manchester, United Kingdom The city launched an ambitious campaign to expand smoke-free outdoor public spaces, starting with its first-ever smoke-free park covering 6.5 acres. Through public consultations and workshops, Manchester engaged its residents in shaping the initiative. A smoke-free toolkit was introduced for NHS hospitals, and broader guidelines are in development to help other organizations follow suit.

“The progress made in Córdoba, Fortaleza, and Greater Manchester is not only improving health today but also setting a model for others to follow," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO is committed to working with cities to build healthier, safer, and more resilient communities for all.”

Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, President and CEO of Vital Strategies, emphasized, “Local leadership has emerged as a powerful force for addressing the complex challenges presented by noncommunicable diseases and injuries. The transformative work done by these cities shows how municipal governments can drive national momentum toward healthier futures.”

A Global Network for Healthier Cities

Launched in 2017, the Partnership for Healthy Cities is a global initiative encompassing 74 cities, collectively representing a population of over 300 million people. Backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies, in collaboration with WHO and Vital Strategies, the network provides resources, expertise, and mentorship to help cities design and implement policies to curb NCDs and injuries. These conditions account for the majority of preventable deaths worldwide.

At this year’s summit, leaders emphasized the urgency of scaling effective interventions to combat NCDs, especially in urban areas where populations are growing rapidly and health disparities are most visible.

Notable Summit Attendees Included:

• Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán, Bogotá, Colombia
• Municipal Commissioner Palitha Nanayakkara, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Intendant Daniel Passerini, Córdoba, Argentina
• Honorable Administrator Mohammad Azaz, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Municipal President Verónica Delgadillo, Guadalajara, Mexico
• Mayor Juhana Vartiainen, Helsinki, Finland
• Mayor Erias Lukwago, Kampala, Uganda
• Mayor Chilando Chitangala, Lusaka, Zambia
• Intendant Mauricio Zunino, Montevideo, Uruguay
• Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Paris, France
• Mayor Pabel Muñoz López, Quito, Ecuador
• Governor Claudio Benjamín Orrego Larraín, Santiago, Chile

As the 2025 Summit concluded, participating cities reaffirmed their commitment to fighting noncommunicable diseases and injuries through evidence-based action, equity-driven leadership, and shared innovation.