Ljubljana, 2–3 October 2025
The 3rd International Scientific Conference of Primary Care (ISCPC) brought together more than 200 participants from across Europe and beyond, filling the Grand Plaza Hotel’s congress centre with two days of lively discussions, new insights and shared experiences. Hosted by the Community Health Centre Ljubljana and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, the conference focused on a theme that resonates deeply across primary care systems: Interprofessional Teamwork and Quality in Health Care.
This year, the CityMove project found a strong presence within the programme, showing how early and late interventions, community engagement and evidence-based approaches can shape healthier, more active communities. Several contributions touched on walking promotion, urban mobility and motivation for physical activity, but the highlight was the opportunity to present our work.
Presenting the Poster: Motivational Structure for Physical Activity Among Adolescents
The poster by Nataša Stojnić from the CityMove Ljubljana team, Motivational Structure for Physical Activity Among Adolescents: Results from the EMI-2 Inventory Analysis, showcased findings from a study conducted among Ljubljana secondary school students. Using the EMI-2 questionnaire, the team explored what truly motivates adolescents to be physically active, and how gender shapes these motivations.
The results offered a clear message: young people are driven primarily by intrinsic motives such as feeling healthy, experiencing enjoyment, gaining energy and building physical strength. External pressures or social recognition play a much smaller role. Boys tended to show higher motivation in areas connected to competition, social interaction and challenge, while girls were more strongly guided by health, enjoyment and personal growth.
These findings reinforce the idea that any programme aiming to increase physical activity among adolescents must speak directly to what matters to them, not what adults think should matter. Strengthening intrinsic motivation and recognising gender-specific patterns can make interventions more engaging, more relevant and ultimately more effective.
CityMove’s Broader Presence at the Conference
Our poster was part of a wider CityMove narrative that unfolded throughout the conference. Saša Šajn Lekše opened the topic with an overview of Ljubljana’s late intervention Walk Along the Wire, using the TIDier checklist to highlight how implementation details shape outcomes. Later, Jim Walker from Walk21 expanded the conversation with a keynote lecture on urban mobility, exploring how walking can transform cities and support healthier populations.
The first day concluded with an inspiring workshop led by Hilde Bastiaens from Antwerp and Wies van der Heijden from Rotterdam. Participants from Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, the UK, Turkey, Germany, Kazakhstan, Spain and Croatia joined the discussion on the role of primary care and communities in promoting physical activity. Despite coming from different systems, we quickly recognised that many of our challenges are shared, and that interprofessional collaboration is essential to overcoming them.
A Shared Understanding: Change Takes Time
One of the strongest messages that emerged throughout the conference was the recognition that meaningful, lasting change in health behaviour is not a sprint. It is a marathon, requiring patience, cooperation and continuous adaptation. Whether we are designing early interventions for adolescents or shaping walkable urban environments, our efforts must be grounded in real human motivation and supported by teams that work across disciplines and communities.
ISCPC once again provided a platform where ideas can meet practice, and where shared challenges can turn into shared solutions. We left the conference not only with new knowledge, but with a renewed sense of purpose and connection. And above all, with the confirmation that research, such as our analysis of adolescent motivation, truly has a place in shaping the next steps of primary care and public health.
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