Message from the Director

The 21st century will see the rise of many new megacities and almost half of the world's population will live in urban areas. This situation will increase the significance of urban environments that are supportive for health.

As the naming suggests, our WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Cities and Urban Policy Research conducts research on Healthy Cities and urban policy, and performs various functions in support of WHO.

Urban development leads to changes in a wide range of health determinants. These include economic growth, food supply, information technology, higher education; the arts and popular entertainment; infrastructure such as transportation, electricity and gas, water supply and sewage systems; the dissemination of information; the living environment; demographic changes; people's lifestyles and family lives; social stability; safety; housing conditions; urban planning; and the mobility of the population. The combination of these health determinants creates different living conditions which impact on health. Improving the condition of these health determinants and their appropriate integration leads to improved health outcomes.

Under these circumstances, our WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Cities and Urban Policy Research pursues various activities and related research. Part of our research focus entails the development of a research framework that will evaluate integrative impacts of health determinants, and the establishment of health plans on the basis of a community diagnosis. We also develop institutional mechanisms that tap urban development benefits to create infrastructure for health development. Our research and activities have been possible only with the help of so many researchers, governments, and citizens across the globe.

The global Healthy Cities movement now incorporates more than thousands of islands, villages, communities, towns, municipalities, cities, and megacities around the world. To facilitate sharing of information and experiences as well as to give an impetus to this global movement, our WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Cities and Urban Policy Research actively engages in networking with a wide range of institutions and groups all over the world.

We sincerely hope to foster deeper relations with you in search of a healthier 21st century.


Takehito Takano, MD, Ph.D.
Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Cities and Urban Policy Research