Global Health Histories: seminar on the cultural contexts of environment and health
Webcast on 7 October 2016, from 12:30 to 14:00 CEST
We know that the environment affects our health and well-being. Yet, historical, cultural and socio-economic factors play an important role in terms of what facilitates or prevents the use of and access to landscapes and attractive green spaces. Moreover, the ways in which the relationship between environment and health is perceived also vary across time and place.
In this seminar, three international experts and United Nations staff members will explore the intersections of health, the environment, culture and socio-economic factors.
The seminar will take place on Friday 7 October 2016 from 12:30 to 14:00 CEST (Copenhagen and Paris time) and will be streamed live from UN City, Copenhagen.
The speakers are:
- Prof. Catharine Ward-Thompson (Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh)
- Dr. Sara Trærup (Senior Researcher, DTU-Management Engineering, UNEP-DTU Partnership)
- Ms Francesca Racioppi (Senior Policy Advisor, Division of Policy and Governance for Health and Well-Being. WHO Regional Office for Europe)
Professor Catharine Ward Thompson will focus on the idea of ‘landscapes’. She will trace historical evidence of the influence of the landscape on people’s health. Furthermore, she aims to address how access to nature and attractive green spaces has been a recurring theme in descriptions of therapeutic environments and associated healthy lifestyles.
Dr Sara Trærup brings a perspective shaped by important contemporary research on the socio-economic aspects of climate change and adaptation. In particular, her talk will emphasize the need to incorporate climate change adaptation in environmental development.
Ms Francesca Racioppi will address how the understanding of the links between environment and health has evolved over time. She will also explain how the WHO Regional Office for Europe is working together with Member States and partners across different policy sectors to address old and new challenges and opportunities in this exciting field of public health.
Join in the discussion
The discussion will be tweeted live, and a selection of questions will be put to the speakers. Send your questions using the webcast link http://streaming.uncity.dk/who or tweet them to @who_europe, using the hashtag #GHHistories.
If you are unable to join the live seminar, you can put questions to the experts via the Regional Office’s Facebook page.
For more information, please contact: euGHH@who.int
