PARIS, FRANCE - The World Health Organization (WHO) honored three cities for their outstanding commitment to improving the health and well-being of their residents. Córdoba (Argentina), Fortaleza (Brazil) and Manchester (United Kingdom) received the Healthy Cities Awards at a summit held in Paris, co-sponsored by the WHO, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Vital Strategies.

Córdoba stood out for its pioneering policy to eliminate sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods from schools by 2026, benefiting 15,000 children so far. Fortaleza was recognized for its innovative air quality monitoring system, which has helped to reduce air pollution. Greater Manchester was awarded for its efforts to reduce tobacco consumption, including the creation of smoke-free parks and hospitals.

The WHO Director-General praised the winning cities, emphasizing their role as models for other urban centers. Michael Bloomberg, the UN Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions, highlighted the importance of these initiatives in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are responsible for more than 80% of deaths worldwide.

The Healthy Cities Summit brought together mayors and officials from 61 cities around the world to discuss strategies for building healthier communities. The participating cities are members of the Alliance for Healthy Cities, a global network of 74 cities committed to preventing NCDs through policy and programs.

"These programs are really making a difference," said Jaimie Guerra, WHO Communications Officer. "Most of the cities in the Alliance have more than one million inhabitants, reaching a total of more than 300 million people."