After many requests for extensions and discussions with our partners, we’ve decided to extend the deadline for our Call for Papers by nearly three weeks, so you now have until 31 May to submit your abstracts.
Our cities have pulled back from the brink in the aftermath of the global pandemic and are now on the road to renewal.
Our cities have pulled back from the brink in the aftermath of the global pandemic and are now on the road to renewal.
There have been many lessons for urban planners, architects, policymakers and public health professionals to absorb from the coronavirus crisis that also apply to planetary health action – none more so than the need to make our cities more inclusive, diverse, and equitable to create opportunities for all.
The extent to which the pandemic truly tested social and health resilience has led to growing international resolve to create a new urban future in which issues of health equity, social value, diversity, access and opportunity in our cities and communities are addressed, enabling health-creating societies to flourish. 
Smart technology, science and innovation will be influential in shaping this future. So will new approaches to urban design, planning and governance that support individuals and communities to become more productive, resilient and self-sufficient in response to the climate crisis. Culture and the arts will also be vital in deepening social connectivity and improving mental health and wellbeing in this new urban landscape.
Far-reaching research and theoretical models will be needed to underpin an evidence-based approach in parallel with a celebration of innovative practice and entrepreneurship, as our cities are redesigned to embrace the circular economy and planetary health principles and actions that also underpin health equity.
Definitions of inclusive design have broadened in response to recent events, shifting from a focus on the rights of older and disabled people in relation to the built environment to embrace race and gender, technological exclusion and economic fairness in relation to work, services and systems. Inclusive health has similarly advanced in addressing health disparities with its emphasis on two main principles: equitable access and full participation.
The future city: ESG as a lever for inclusive health
This is an exciting time to fast-forward to reimagine and remake the city for all. ‘The Next Frontier’ will see new amalgams of expertise and knowledge addressing the vital questions around inclusion and diversity in the professional disciplines in design, technology, urbanism and health.
Business organisations will lean into the city as part of their ESG (environmental, social and governance) commitments. Architects and engineers will plan for the complexity that comes with including a wider range of needs and desires. Public health experts will pilot fresh approaches and technology providers will seize the moment.
For our 2022 Congress, we’re interested in receiving proposals for papers, posters and workshops in the spheres of practice, research and policy that capture key elements of this dynamic picture. We want to look at inclusive ideas and initiatives in relation to such topics as homes and neighbourhoods, work and workplace, public space and urban design, climate and community, transport and mobility, and smart cities and healthcare services. Download the Call for Papers here.
Previous editions of the Healthy City Design International Congress have looked at creating a shared culture of wellness, reducing health inequalities, building resilience in cities, and dealing with the impact of Covid-19. In 2022, we pull all of these themes together and ask: how can designing for inclusion, diversity and social equity support healthier lives and human flourishing in a thriving and sustainable urban realm?
The Healthy City Design International Congress and Exhibition 2022 will take place at the Royal College of Physicians, London, UK, on 10-11 October 2022, and be streamed online in our virtual event platform.
It is organised by SALUS Global Knowledge Exchange in collaboration with the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, Royal College of Art, an internationally renowned research hub in the field of inclusive design.
New ideas, practice and research
We’re delighted to invite you to contribute and participate in the exchange of knowledge in designing for and valuing diversity, inclusivity and opportunity for all in the post-pandemic world. We welcome abstracts from individuals and organisations all over the world, including papers and projects that address issues in low-, middle- and high-income countries, and from across the disciplinary spectrum at the intersection of research, practice and policy.
Download the Call for Papers here.
Please submit your abstracts by 31 May 2022 at www.healthycitydesign.global. For guidance on shaping your submission, we recommend viewing videos of the many inspirational talks from previous congresses, which you will find in the ‘Talks’ section of our online community at www.salus.global/journal.
