From November 18 to 21,2025, at the International Forum on Culture Innovation and Sustainable Urban Development" and the finals review of the "World Healthy and Positive-Ageing Cities" pilot project held in Istanbul, Turkey, after four days of intensive and forum exchanges, presentations, specialized training, and rigorous evaluation by the International Expert Committee on Active Ageing and Age-Friendly Cities-INIA, Dali Prefecture in Yunnan Province, China along with five cities—Katowice in Poland, Poti in Georgia, Kuching in Malaysia, and Recife in Brazil—were officially selected as the 2025 "World Healthy and Positive-Ageing Cities" pilot projects. The Taihang Water Town in Baoding, China was also jointly selected as this year's "World Healthy and Positive-Ageing Cities" project category pilot, alongside "Ancient Town of Birgu, Mata" and "Saint-Etienne Senior City" project in Franc
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The Certificate Issuance Ceremony of "World Health and Healthy and Positive-Ageing City" Pilot for Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province
Pilot Certificate Issuance to Baoding Taihang Water Town
Ms. Rosette Bonello, Deputy Director of the International Institute on Ageing United Nations-Malta (INIA) and member of the International Expert Committee, and Arab Hoballah, Ex-Chief of UNEP SCP and member of the International Expert Committee, among others, presented pilot certificates to the aforementioned cities and projects. Senior officials and experts from the United Nations Centre for Regional Development, the UNESCO MOST BRIDGES, as well as representatives from relevant international organizations, cities, and media from various countries attended and witnessed the launch ceremony of the pilot program. Dali Prefecture in Yunnan and Baoding Taihang Water Town thus became the first international Healthy and Positive-Ageing city and Healthy and Positive-Ageing project innovation demonstration selected by China in the pilot program, achieving a breakthrough from "zero" in the field of "World Healthy and Positive-Ageing Cities" for Chinese cities and projects.
Dali Prefecture Presentation
Taihang Water Town Presentation
2025 World Healthy and Positive-Ageing City Pilot Release and Certification Ceremony
Group photo of participants from the International Training on Healthy Cities and Communities
The "World Healthy and Positive-Ageing Cities" pilot program, the first globally recognized demonstration project under international standards, was officially launched in 2024. Organized and reviewed by INIA International Expert Committee in collaboration with UNESCO-CISH, the initiative aims to encourage global cities to adopt the UN "Healthy and Positive-Ageing City Evaluation Criteria" and pioneer innovative practices, creating world-class Healthy and Positive-Ageing city models of varying scales and types. At the UN World Urban Forum in Cairo, Egypt in November 2024, five cities—Cape Town (South Africa), Agueda (Portugal), Ostrow (Poland), Shinan County (South Korea), and Curidabat (Costa Rica)—were selected as the first batch of "World Healthy and Positive-Ageing Cities" pilots. This year's application process, supported by the UNCRD and LivCom Committee, attracted over 30 cities and projects from more than 20 countries. After passing preliminary screening and final review, five cities and three projects were ultimately chosen for the 2025 pilot program. On the launch day, UN-INIA and the UNCRD jointly hosted an "International Training Programme on Healthy and Positive-Ageing Cities and Communities" for applicants.
The beautiful Dali Prefecture
As one of the most beautiful cities in China, Dali Prefecture boasts unique ecological resources. It has pioneered an innovative model for building a Healthy and Positive-Ageing city that promotes harmonious development of the economy, society, environment, and all-age populations by leveraging its ecological advantages. This model encompasses the protection of the ancient city, comprehensive management of Erhai Lake, the construction of a "waste-free city," the Cang-Er Sunshine Happiness Project, the integrated development of "all-domain sports + all-domain tourism + all-domain aesthetic education," and the creation of an international medical gateway radiating to South Asia and Southeast Asia. In future pilot projects, Dali Prefecture has aligned with global Healthy and Positive-Ageing city standards, focusing on two major development goals: "a plateau ecological Healthy and Positive-Ageing demonstration city with international standards and western Yunnan characteristics" and "a world-class destination for healthy living." It has tailored 30 Healthy and Positive-Ageing development indicators across nine fields, planned six key tasks, and numerous concrete actions, aiming to create a world-class Healthy and Positive-Ageing city innovation model. This initiative contributes the "Dali Practice" and "Dali Experience" to the Healthy and Positive-Ageing city construction in China and South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Nostalgia for Hometown · Taihang Water Town
Lianxiang·Taihang Water Town is located in Yixian County, Baoding City, Hebei Province. As a national 4A-level tourist attraction, a top-rated destination for tourism, a national-level nighttime cultural and tourism consumption cluster, and a member of the first batch of "China's Most Beautiful Towns," it boasts comprehensive facilities including commercial landscapes, cultural tourism, and livable Healthy and Positive-Ageing. Leveraging its advantage as the birthplace of the "Yishui School," it has pioneered the Three Yi Healthy and Positive-Ageing System, cultivated a product system integrating cultural tourism with all-age Healthy and Positive-Ageing, and equipped itself with internationally high-quality, all-age healing facilities and services. This has created a comprehensive vibrant community that combines health management, healthy living, and cultural experiences. As the first "World Healthy and Positive-Ageing City" project pilot and international Healthy and Positive-Ageing exchange base in China, it will continue to improve Healthy and Positive-Ageing facilities in the future, focusing on building a Healthy and Positive-Ageing community centered around commercial landscapes, cultural tourism, and livable Healthy and Positive-Ageing. Simultaneously, guided by the "5+X" Healthy and Positive-Ageing indicators of the World Healthy and Positive-Ageing City standard, it aims to create Hebei Province's first modern, international "Rural Future Community" model with Healthy and Positive-Ageing as its theme.