From 26 to 28 May 2026, an international meeting of Work Package 6 (WP6) of the JA PreventNCD project was held in Pula, Croatia. The project focuses on creating healthy living environments and reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases in Europe through the development of a harmonised approach to health promotion and disease prevention at the local and regional levels.
The Medical University of Silesia in Katowice was one of the event organizers, serving as co-leader of WP6 together with the Croatian Institute of Public Health. The leader of the Work Package is the Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (FISABIO).
The conference brought together project partners from many European countries and created a space for exchanging experiences, presenting pilot results, and discussing the further development of activities carried out under WP6. The event was attended by leaders of pilot activities, external experts, representatives of the Youth Advisory Group, and representatives of Work Packages 1-4.
A special highlight of the conference was the inaugural lecture by the First Lady of Croatia, Prof. Sanja Musić Milanović – a renowned epidemiologist and public health expert. In her presentation „Health in the Age of Obesity: How to Stay Ahead of Chronic Risks – the Croatian Perspective” she focused on one of the most serious challenges of modern public health – the obesity epidemic. As a long-standing leader of national and European prevention programs, she emphasized the importance of systematically creating healthy urban environments and health education for the youngest generations. Her presence gave the event a special significance and highlighted the importance of the activities carried out within the JA PreventNCD project.
The opening session was concluded by a speech by Dr. Romana Jerković, which constituted one of the most important voices on the future of EU health policy. In the presentation titled „Towards a New Paradigm in EU Prevention Policy” The Vice-Chair of the Committee on Public Health (SANT) presented a modern vision of healthcare in the European Union, based on prevention, cross-sector cooperation, and strengthening health at the local level. She drew attention to the need to shift the focus from treating the consequences of diseases to preventive measures that will more effectively reduce the burden on healthcare systems in Europe. Referring to her medical experience and long-standing involvement in shaping European health policy, she emphasized that building a strong European Health Union requires the systematic creation of healthy living environments and the active reduction of risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Her speech outlined the directions for further actions and reforms to be implemented at the European Union level in the area of prevention and public health.
Prof. Knut-Inge Klepp was also an important guest of the event. He i one of the most renowned European experts in the field of health promotion and prevention of non-communicable diseases, the scientific lead of the JA PreventNCD Project. During the opening session, he delivered a lecture „Health Promotion & NCD Prevention in Europe Today: A Joint Action to Improving Health for Everyone!”, in which he presented current challenges related to health promotion in Europe and the importance of international cooperation in reducing chronic diseases. On the third day of the conference, Prof. Klepp summarized the proceedings with a speech „Building Joint Impact: Reflections and the Way Ahead”, indicating directions for further development of joint activities and emphasizing the role of partnerships and exchange of experiences in achieving lasting health outcomes.
The Medical University of Silesia was represented by Katarzyna Brukało, PhD, Assoc. Prof. at the Medical University of Silesia, and Anna Lempart-Rapacewicz, PhD. The city of Rybnik was represented by Monika Kubisz.
The first day of the event began with plenary sessions summarizing the achievements of WP6 to date and presenting directions for further cooperation. One of the important elements of the program was a parallel session led by representatives of the Medical University of Silesia entitled “An interactive platform supporting competence development,” which is being developed by the team of the Medical University of Silesia.
The session was devoted to creating an educational platform supporting the implementation of health-promoting activities under task 6.6. The aim of the meeting was to jointly develop ways in which the platform should take into account experiences from pilot projects carried out in various European countries. The tool is intended to be primarily practical in nature – not only to convey theoretical knowledge, but also to present real-life experiences related to the implementation of the 10-Step Methodology.
During a moderated discussion, participants analyzed:
- which solutions work in practice,
- what barriers arise during the implementation of activities,
- what future users of the platform need,
- and which elements can support the effective implementation of health-promoting interventions.
The following days of the conference were devoted to practical working sessions and presentations of experiences from pilot projects carried out in various European countries.
On the third day, Katarzyna Brukało, PhD, Assoc. Prof. at the Medical University of Silesia, led a session on the practical implementation of continuity and sustainability of pilot activities carried out under WP6.
The session began with a presentation of the general sustainability principles applicable in the Project, presented by Dr. Mojca Gabrijelčič from the National Institute of Public Health of Slovenia. This was followed by a discussion of ways to incorporate a long-term perspective into the project’s Methodological Guide. Special attention was given to the role of leadership and management as key elements supporting the co-creation of health actions and policies.
The central focus of the session was workshops, during which pilot leaders shared experiences and jointly sought supporting solutions:
- effective cooperation with stakeholders,
- effective implementation of activities,
- and the long-term impact of implemented initiatives.
The meeting also created space for discussions about the challenges faced by project partners in different European countries, as well as opportunities for further development of joint activities.
The main objective of the event was to support the consortium in carrying out PR6 tasks, including:
- developing methodologies for preventive actions tailored to local conditions,
- implementing interventions in communities and urban environments,
- promoting breastfeeding through the “Baby-friendly Community Health Services” model,
- strengthening the capacities of local teams.
The participation of the Medical University of Silesia as co-leader of WP6 provided an opportunity to present the team’s work results and to actively participate in international cooperation aimed at creating healthy living environments – one of the key elements in reducing chronic diseases in Europe.
