The Ulaanbaatar Governor Office, the Ministry of Health and the Association of Cities and Towns in Mongolia organize a national forum “Healthy City” with a support from the World Health Organization this April 1-2, 2010.

Participants of the meeting will discuss pressing issues facing the residents of Mongolia’s capital city and its other provincial central towns, as well as ways of turning Ulaanbaatar into a “Healthy City” and approving urban development programs.

Health Ministry officials said the gathering will draw more attention to issues such as urban development, soil, water, air pollution, and food hygiene standards, while the implementation of urban development program and the enhancement of services and infrastructure will be a way to promote provincial towns and reduce internal migration to Mongolia’s major cities.

Meanwhile, International World Health Day 2010 will take place this April 7 and will focus on urbanization and health. With the campaign “1000 cities - 1000 lives”, events will be organized worldwide calling on cities to open up streets for health activities. Stories of urban health champions will be gathered to illustrate what people are doing to improve health in their cities.