17–19 September 2025, Kaunas, Lithuania
From 17–19 September 2025, our CityMove Ljubljana team had the opportunity to attend the 16th Conference of HEPA Europe Network in Kaunas, Lithuania. This conference gathered researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from all over the world to discuss the latest evidence and strategies in health promotion and physical activity.
The primary theme of this year’s conference was “Health-Enhancing Physical Activity: Taking Steps Towards Sustainability”, with discussions linking physical activity to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The programme comprised plenary lectures, symposia, oral sessions and pitches, the subjects of which included:
- Sustainability and multidimensional models of physical activity,
- active mobility and transport,
- the socio-ecological approach and urban planning,
- intersectoral collaboration across health, sport, transport, and education.
As part of CityMove, our junior researcher from CityMove Ljubljana, Nataša Stojnić, presented the results of the Slovenian study, which focused on the development of a mobile application and on adolescents’ attitudes towards physical activity. The presentation emphasised the potential of digital tools to foster active engagement among young people and underscored the significance of their perspectives in the design of interventions.
The conference functioned as an effective medium for the exchange of ideas, the dissemination of best practices, and the establishment of connections with colleagues facing analogous challenges on a European scale. Conversations of this nature are imperative for the development of innovative approaches that can assist in enhancing public health and promoting lifelong physical activity habits.
In 2026, the HEPA Europe Conference will take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, a wonderful opportunity to welcome the international community to our capital and showcase our research and initiatives.
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