Welcome to the fourth edition of the HORUS Newsletter!
The second half of 2025 has been a period of strong progress for HORUS – Urban Health, marked by international visibility, advances across pilot cities, and new tools to share knowledge and voices from the project.
From European conferences to community-based activities in our pilot cities, HORUS continues to explore how urban environments and behavioural factors shape non-communicable diseases (NCDs), while strengthening engagement with citizens, researchers and public health professionals across Europe.
Below, we highlight the main developments from the past months.
HIGHLIGHTS
Updated Literature Review Booklet (v1.1)
The updated version of the HORUS – Urban Health Literature Review Booklet (v1.1) is now available in the Knowledge Hub section of our website.
Led by Instituto de investigación Polibienestar (University of Valencia), the booklet collects and synthesises the latest evidence on how urban environments influence Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), and how interventions in the built environment can promote healthier lifestyles.
The Knowledge Hub aims to make scientific insights more accessible to policymakers, researchers and practitioners, supporting informed decisions for healthier and fairer cities.
Inside HORUS: Q&A Video Series
During this period, we launched a new Instagram video series: Q&A with HORUS.
Through short interviews, researchers, partners and local teams answer simple questions about the project, offering insights into urban health, equity, green spaces, digital tools and everyday life in cities. The series brings audiences closer to the people behind HORUS and shows how research translates into action on the ground.
🎥 Watch the videos on Instagram and follow the series.
PILOT UPDATES
Rijeka: Participant Voices
In Rijeka, the pilot team from the University of Rijeka – Faculty of Medicine shared a series of short videos featuring project participants.
These interviews capture why residents decided to join HORUS and how they are experiencing the project so far. Their voices and personal stories are key to understanding how urban health research connects with real lives, neighbourhoods and everyday challenges, especially for vulnerable communities.
Here’s the link to the first interview:
Valencia: Recruitment and Start of Activities
The Valencia pilot reached an important milestone with the completion of recruitment and the start of activities in several neighbourhoods, including San Marcelino, Fuente de San Luís, La Torre, Horno de Alcedo, Castellar-Oliveral and Faitanar.
Participants are now taking part in community-based health activities, supported by health professionals, workshops and digital tools, marking a key step forward in the local implementation of HORUS.
Valencia: Christmas Week
To close the year, the HORUS – Fundació Fisabio team organised a special Christmas week of activities for participants in Valencia.
The week aimed to keep motivation and connection high during the holiday season. Its highlight was a festive Christmas dance workshop, open to all participants in the Valencia pilot (both control and intervention groups), reinforcing community spirit through movement and shared experience.
Rotterdam: Pilot Preparation
In preparation for the Rotterdam pilot, the pilot page on the HORUS website has been updated with new information available in Dutch, providing local audiences with detailed insight into the pilot’s objectives and approach.
EVENTS
Placemaking Week Europe 2025 – Reggio Emilia
HORUS took part in Placemaking Week Europe 2025, held from 23 to 26 September in Reggio Emilia (Italy).
The event brought together practitioners, researchers and policymakers to discuss inclusive urban design, sustainable mobility, revitalisation of historic centres and well-being in mid-sized cities. For HORUS, Placemaking Week offered an important space to connect urban health research with placemaking practices that shape healthier and more inclusive communities.
18th European Public Health Conference – Helsinki
HORUS was represented at the 18th European Public Health Conference, held from 12 to 14 November 2025 in Helsinki under the theme “Investing for sustainable health and well-being.”
The project contribution was presented by Vanja Vasiljev (University of Rijeka) through a poster titled:
“Empowering urban vulnerable populations to reduce NCD risk: The HORUS pilot study in Rijeka.”
Displayed within the Environment and health / Urban health session, the poster highlighted how the Rijeka pilot combines behavioural interventions and inclusive co-design strategies to empower communities and reduce NCD risk among vulnerable populations.
Consortium Meeting – Rotterdam
From 28 to 29 October 2025, partners of the HORUS – Urban Health project gathered in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) for the project’s Consortium Meeting, hosted by Erasmus MC.
Over two days, partners reviewed progress across all work packages, shared lessons learned from the pilot cities, and discussed upcoming deliverables and activities. The meeting reinforced the importance of collaboration, community engagement and co-design as central pillars of the project.
LOOKING AHEAD
As 2025 comes to an end, HORUS continues to advance through strong collaboration across cities, disciplines and communities. With pilots progressing, new evidence becoming available and citizen voices increasingly visible, the project remains committed to shaping healthier, fairer urban environments across Europe.
Stay connected with HORUS as we move into the next phase of the project.