Healthy Cities Awards 2026

Date: Tuesday 1 September
Time: 5:30 – 6:30PM
Location: Sir John Clancy Auditorium

Details:

Celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership in creating healthier, more equitable cities at the AFHC 2026 Awards Ceremony. This special evening will recognise outstanding initiatives, partnerships, and changemakers from across the Asia-Pacific region who are driving meaningful impact in urban health, wellbeing, and community resilience. Join delegates, city leaders, researchers, and practitioners as we honour the inspiring achievements shaping the future of healthy cities.

WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Awards 2026 Categories:

1. Adapting and Mitigating Climate-Related Crises: Building Heat Resilience and Preventing Flood-Related Health Risks
2. Age-Friendly Cities: Transforming Systems to Bridge Generations for a Healthier Tomorrow
3. Communities Living in Vulnerable Situations: Advancing Health Equity through Community Engagement
4. Preventing Violence and Promoting Gender Equality: Transforming Urban Systems, Norms, and Spaces
5. Protecting Communities from Tobacco and Alcohol-Related Harms: Tackling Commercial Drivers of Risk
6. Safe, Active, and Health-Enabling Transport: Reducing Inequities in Urban Mobility
7. Transforming Food Environments: Addressing Policy, Market, and Urban Design Drivers of Health and Nutrition
8. Data for Equity: Informing Action, Improving Health

AFHC Awards for Healthy Cities 2026 Categories:

1. Award for Progress of Healthy Cities
   • Healthy City with Good Infra-structure
   • Healthy City with Good Dynamic
   • Healthy City with Strong Action
   • Healthy City Expert
2. Award for Creative Developments in Healthy Cities
   • Public Spaces for Health and Well-being
   • Universal Health Coverage in Cities
   • Remedy for Loneliness in Cities
   • Evaluation of Long-term Commitment of a Healthy City
   • Nature-based Solutions for Planetary/One Health in Cities
   • Increasing Resilience to Health Emergencies in Cities

Is your city doing transformative work in any of these areas? Don’t miss the chance to have it recognised!!

There are two types of Awards to apply for:

1. WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Awards

a. Eligibility: Cities in WHO Member States in the Western Pacific Region (Alliance for Healthy Cities membership is not required)
b. Deadline: 22 July 2026

2. AFHC Awards for Healthy Cities

a. Eligibility: Members of the Alliance for Healthy Cities
b. Deadline: 10 July 2026

Both sets of Awardees are announced at the 11th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities (AFHC 2026) 1-3 September 2026 | UNSW, Sydney, Australia.

Eligibility: Cities in WHO Member States in the Western Pacific Region
(Alliance for Healthy Cities membership is not required)

8 Award Categories

1. Adapting and Mitigating Climate-Related Crises: Building Heat Resilience and Preventing Flood-Related Health Risks
2. Age-Friendly Cities: Transforming Systems to Bridge Generations for a Healthier Tomorrow
3. Communities Living in Vulnerable Situations: Advancing Health Equity through Community Engagement
4. Preventing Violence and Promoting Gender Equality: Transforming Urban Systems, Norms, and Spaces
5. Protecting Communities from Tobacco and Alcohol-Related Harms: Tackling Commercial Drivers of Risk
6. Safe, Active, and Health-Enabling Transport: Reducing Inequities in Urban Mobility
7. Transforming Food Environments: Addressing Policy, Market, and Urban Design Drivers of Health and Nutrition
8. Data for Equity: Informing Action, Improving Health

Initiatives must:

✔️have been implemented within the last two years
✔️demonstrate measurable progress
✔️be supported by evidence

Submission deadline : 22 July 2026

If you have any questions, please reach out to: callone@who.int and molemansm@who.int.

Late submissions will not be considered.

Members of the Alliance for Healthy Cities are eligible to apply for the AFHC Awards for Healthy Cities 2026.

Award for Progress of Healthy Cities

Eligibility: Full Members of the Alliance for Healthy Cities that obtained membership before June 2026

• • • Award for Healthy City with Good Infra-structure

    • Award for Healthy City with Good Dynamic

    • Award for Healthy City with Strong Action

    • Award for Healthy City Expert

Award for Creative Developments in Healthy Cities

Eligibility: Any member of the Alliance for Healthy Cities

• • • Public Spaces for Health and Well-being
    • Universal Health Coverage in Cities
    • Remedy for Loneliness in Cities
    • Evaluation of Long-term Commitment of a Healthy City
    • Nature-based Solutions for Planetary/One Health in Cities
    • Increasing Resilience to Health Emergencies in Cities

Submission deadline : 10 July 2026

Award winners are announced at the 11th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities, 1 – 3 September 2026.

Applications and any queries should be sent to:

Awards Committee of the Alliance for Healthy Cities
c/o Prof Keiko Nakamura
Email: alliance.ith@tmd.ac.jp
Secretariat of the Alliance for Healthy Cities
URL: http://www.alliance-healthycities.com/