Experience Sharing with Belfast Healthy Cities Network

Belfast Healthy Cities was established in 1988 as an organization of the Healthy Cities Project launched by WHO and promotes equality and health improvement through collaborations aimed at shaping and developing public policy. As one of the first networks of the Healthy Cities Project, the organization supports those working on urban health issues in Belfast to travel to cities and national networks in WHO European Healthy Cities Network to learn about their areas of interest.

This year, Dr. James Hennessey who is an urban designer, landscape architect and director of The Paul Hogarth Company, visited Healthy Cities National Network of Turkiye, Izmir Planning Agency of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, the Department of Parks and Gardens of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality and the Faculty of Forestry, the Department of Landscape Architecture of Bursa Technical University, to examine the projects and experiences about Urban Greening Initiatives and to share his own experiences.

The president of Izmir Planning Agency, Prof. Dr. Koray Velibeyoğlu gave information about strategic plans of the city and future goals, and shared Peynircioğlu and Sasalı projects as examples of greening initiatives.

During the visit of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, the Head of Parks and Gardens Department, Hakan Tanrıöver and his team explained the construction processes of Erdem Saker Botanical Park and Hüdavendigar Park.

The Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Design of Bursa Technical University and the Head of the Department of Landscape Architecture of the Faculty of Forestry, Prof. Dr. Gül Sayan Atanur presented examples about the works done by the Department of Landscape Architecture and student projects.

During his visit, Dr. James Hennessey presented examples of urban design and landscaping projects that they carried out in Belfast and the Secretary General, Murat Ar informed Dr. Hennessey about WHO European Healthy Cities Network and Healthy Cities National Network of Turkiye.

At the end of the meeting which was held with the cooperation of two organizations that are members of WHO European Healthy Cities Network, future cooperation possibilities were discussed.