From 21 to 23 May, HL4EU partners gathered for an in-person meeting on the beautiful island of Aegina, Greece. The meeting was hosted by our partner EPIONI as part of the 3rd edition of the Arts and Mental Health Festival. The timing, right during European Mental Health Week, and the inspiring setting helped spark new ideas and fresh energy for our shared mission: promoting healthier lifestyles through cross-sector collaboration.
Reflecting on Progress
On the first day, we reconnected and reviewed what the project has achieved over the past 18 months. One major milestone has been the launch of the Cross-Sectoral Good Practice Platform. Our partner EIEIM presented a deep analysis of the good practices submitted through desk research over the last six months. After a thorough data-cleaning process, 78 out of over 100 submissions were included. This data revealed which sectors are most active in collaborating to promote healthy lifestyles, and the kinds of innovations taking place across Europe.
This analysis provided valuable insights and inspired partners to keep exploring other promising practices.
Boosting Call for Good PracticesÂ
EPIONI also shared an update on our ongoing Call for Good Practice Sharing. So far, we’ve received a number of inspiring submissions from organisations across Europe. These include projects focused on:
Active cities and sustainable school transport
Healthy youth development
Urban planning that supports mobility and wellbeing
Nutrition-focused research
While encouraged by the quality of submissions, we also discussed ways to increase participation.
We were especially inspired by an external presentation on the Greece Race for the Cure, a powerful initiative that brings together over 50,000 participants annually to raise awareness and support the fight against breast cancer by running and walking.
Exploring Focus Groups and Policy Recommendations
Next, our partner IGOTCo led an engaging session on organising virtual focus groups. These sessions will help us better understand how cross-sector initiatives work in practice - what drives success and what challenges need to be addressed.
ENOS followed with a session on shaping policy recommendations and setting clear impact goals for the project.
We also heard updates from our Project Quality team (POLIS & ENOS) and from EuropeActive on project management and finances.
To end the day, we joined festival workshops that offered powerful insights into how different forms of arts can support self-discovery and mental wellbeing.
Taking Our Project to the Festival
On day two, EuropeActive presented the Healthy Lifestyles for Europe project at the Arts and Mental Health Festival. The audience included stakeholders from municipalities, health and arts sectors, universities, and medical associations. We shared our goals and learnings so far, and highlighted the powerful role of physical activity in mental health.
Research shows that physical activity can boost mood, self-esteem, and brain function, while also reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety - often more effectively than therapy or medication alone.
Moving Forward, Inspired
We left Aegina full of new ideas, motivation, and a renewed sense of purpose. We’re grateful to all the partners for their dedication and engagement, and to the inspiring speakers and contributors at the festival. Together, we’re ready to keep building strong cross-sector partnerships that support healthier, more active lives across Europe!
