Mayors and senior representatives of local authorities from around the world gathered in Lyon today to launch an international coalition of cities committed to implementing the One Health approach at the local level during the One Health Summit hosted by France.
The International Forum of Local Leaders on One Health, co-convened by the WHO as an official partner event of the One Health Summit, brought together approximately 50 mayors and senior local officials representing cities across five continents.
Presentations showcased the breadth of One Health challenges cities face, from urban governance and climate transition in Lyon and Port Moresby, to air quality management in Casablanca, biodiversity-based governance in Curridabat, and integrated urban health and food systems in Montpellier, alongside perspectives from cities including Akonolinga, Apartadó, Paris, Singapore, Marseille, Izmir, Liège, Bouaké and Lahti. The Forum concluded with a moderated discussion identifying shared priorities, challenges and pathways for collective action to build healthier, more resilient communities.
The flagship outcome of the Forum is the creation of an international coalition of cities. The coalition, which aims to unite some 15 cities for an initial three-year period, will facilitate peer exchanges, support innovative pilot projects and produce freely accessible knowledge, tools and operational indicators.
The Forum also featured the sharing of the One Health for Cities methodological guide, a practical resource to help local and regional authorities design strategies, set up governance mechanisms and integrate equity considerations into their One Health policies.
Learning and capacity-building for cities
The Forum is a key initiative of the WHO Academy's Healthy Cities flagship, bringing together mayors, city representatives and partners from around the world to showcase concrete local implementation, identify systemic barriers and advance collective action on One Health in urban contexts.
By co-convening this Forum with partners and WHO technical units, the WHO Academy is actively contributing to bridging global policy commitments with local action, ensuring that cities are equipped, connected and empowered to implement One Health approaches on the ground. To that end, the Forum presented a range of WHO Academy learning resources and its conclusions will directly inform the design of a practical learning programme for cities and territories.
The event closed with an official reception hosted by the Mayor of Lyon at Lyon City Hall, offering a space for dialogue between mayors and institutional partners.
The One Health Summit, convened under the French G7 Presidency and coinciding with World Health Day, is the first Summit of its kind to bring together heads of state and government alongside international organizations, parliamentarians, scientists, the private sector, civil society, local authorities and youth to accelerate the implementation of the One Health approach globally.
