From 21 to 23 May, EuropeActive had the pleasure of coordinating a key in-person meeting of the Healthy Lifestyles for Europe (HL4EU) project on the island of Aegina, Greece. The meeting, kindly hosted by our partner EPIONI, took place during the third edition of the Arts and Mental Health Festival and aligned perfectly with European Mental Health Week, offering an ideal environment for creativity, reflection, and connection.
Reflecting on 18 Months of Progress
The gathering began with a comprehensive review of project achievements so far. EuropeActive led a discussion on the overall project progress and upcoming milestones. A major highlight has been the launch of the Cross-Sectoral Good Practice Platform, which now features 78 good practice initiatives from across Europe and the world. Our partner EIEIM presented an in-depth analysis of the submitted good practices, offering valuable insights into the sectors most engaged in promoting healthy lifestyles and the diversity of actions being undertaken.
Strengthening the Call for Good Practices
EPIONI shared an encouraging update on the ongoing Call for Good Practice Sharing, which has already attracted a variety of submissions focusing on:
- Active cities and sustainable school transport
- Healthy youth development
- Urban design for mobility and wellbeing
- Nutrition and food system innovation
Partners discussed strategies to further boost engagement and outreach to expand the platform’s reach and impact.
An external presentation on the Greece Race for the Cure – an event uniting over 50,000 participants each year in the fight against breast cancer - served as a powerful example of the impact of large-scale community engagement for health promotion.
Advancing Focus Groups and Policy Recommendations
Our partners IGOTCo and ENOS facilitated interactive sessions on two key next steps: organising virtual focus groups to explore the success factors and challenges of cross-sector collaboration, and defining the project’s policy recommendations and impact goals.
We also received updates from the Project Quality Team (POLIS & ENOS), and EuropeActive provided guidance on financial and project coordination matters.
The day concluded with participation in a series of arts-based workshops, providing hands-on experience with how the arts can play a transformative role in promoting mental health and wellbeing.
Sharing HL4EU at the Festival
On the second day, EuropeActive presented the HL4EU project to a diverse audience at the Arts and Mental Health Festival, which included representatives from municipalities, academia, healthcare, and the cultural sector. Our presentation underlined the growing evidence of the benefits of physical activity for mental health - from boosting mood and cognitive function to reducing anxiety and depression symptoms.
Energised for the Road Ahead
The Aegina meeting strengthened collaboration across our network, sparked new ideas, and reinforced our shared commitment to building healthier, more active communities through cross-sector collaboration. EuropeActive is proud to coordinate this ambitious project and thanks all partners for their contributions and engagement.
Together, we move forward - energised, inspired, and united in our mission to make healthy lifestyles a reality for all Europeans.
