Inclusive health and wellbeing in small and medium size cities
Four peripheral small and medium size cities (SMSCs) - Cordoba (Spain), Riga (Latvia), Lucca (Italy) and Nitra (Slovakia) – will take the leadership to test visionary and integrated solutions to foster Inclusive Health and Wellbeing (IHW) in SMSCs with a focus on gender and diversity. IN-HABIT visionary approach consists on the innovative mobilization of existing undervalued resources (culture, food, human-animal bonds and environment) to increase IHW. The integrated approach is based on the combination of technological, digital, nature based, cultural, and social innovations in selected urban public spaces. These solutions will be co-designed, co-deployed and co-managed with and by local stakeholders. The effects on mental health, wellbeing and healthier lifestyles of these solutions will be evaluated and a sound scalable evidence-base and monitoring framework delivered. A systemic urban planning framework will be developed based on innovative gender and diversity approaches to boost IHW that will represent a unique reference for SMSCs. IN-HABIT will base its actions on underserved areas and vulnerable target groups existing in each city (such as, children, elders, women, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities), and on the integration of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ visionary solutions articulated around heritage and culture (as a nexus for inclusive societies), food (nurturing daily healthier lifestyles), animals (human-animal bonds as new relational urban goods) and art and environment (to connect places and people). Bogotá city will share know-how and replicate experiences. These actions have attracted the interest to be replicated by other twin-cities and networks of cities, that have shown their interest in establishing synergies with IN-HABIT and replicating actions. IN-HABIT is an ambitious but achievable project in the 5 years lifetime proposed.