Latvia

In celebration of World Health Day 2012 and its theme: "Good health adds life to years", two conferences were held in Latvia to discuss ways to promote healthy ageing.

The first conference took place at Riga City Hall on 12 April 2012. The conference, which focused on “How healthy cities can contribute to healthy ageing”, was opened by Ms Ingrida Circene, Minister of Health, Olga Veidina, Head, Committee of Social Matters, Riga City Municipality, and Dr Aiga Rurane, Head of the WHO Country Office. About 120 representatives of local municipalities throughout Latvia attended. WHO was represented by Geoff Green, Emeritus Professor of Urban Policy, Centre for Health & Social Care Research, Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom, and Johanna Reiman, Executive Director, Baltic Region Healthy Cities Association, WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Cities and Urban Health in the Baltic Region. Another guest speaker, Simonas Gentvilas, Adviser to the Mayor of Klaipeda, shared experiences of the Healthy Cities initiative in Lithuania.  

Exhibitions and presentations highlighted facts and perceptions on ageing, and the conference also supported the City of Riga’s intention to join the next phase of the WHO Healthy Cities initiative and Latvia’s efforts to restore a national Healthy Cities Network. 

This municipal-level event was followed by a conference held in the Parliament of Latvia on 13 April 2012. This conference was opened by its host, Ms Solvita Aboltina, Speaker of Parliament, and by Dr Aiga Rurane, Head of the WHO Country Office. Presentations were made by the Minister of Health, the Minister of Welfare and Prof. Geoff Green, who also took part in the discussions. The group of about 100 participants included Members of Parliament, representatives of state and municipal institutions, professional organisations and NGOs.