The Healthy City

In the late 1990s, following the end of the Croatian War of Independence, the city of Split became a “case city” within Croatia and broader European contexts due to the high rate of hard drug abuse among its youngest population. Experts, politicians, parents, educators, media, and the public were deeply concerned.

zdravi grad
A small extract from the publications of the Healthy City Association from 2000-2012 in which the founder of the Eupolis Group participated as an editor, author, co-author or key expert associate

Initiative for a Healthier Split: Split Healthy City Project and cooperation with the Eupolis Group

The Split Healthy City Project was launched by the Department of Social Welfare and Health Protection of the City of Split, led by Vesna Zec and Andrea Russo, as part of an effort to create a systemic initiative for preventive action alongside existing harm-reduction measures.

At the time, the founder of Eupolis Group was leading E cubed (E3)—the Croatian Entrepreneurial-Educational Initiative of Youth for Sustainable Development. Established in 1998, this initiative operated a co-working space with a library and ICT classroom, as well as the World Youth Club, which offered a range of innovative educational, social, and developmental programs.

Recognising the potential for synergy, the City of Split invited the founder of Eupolis Group to design, develop, finance, and manage an ecosystem for health and psychosocial prevention.

In collaboration with leading Croatian and international experts, a transdisciplinary team was established to develop the concept of an integrated strategic project, positioning Split as a model Healthy City.

Collaboration and launching innovative programs

2000. godine, u tu svrhu, osniva se Udruga Split zdravi grad. Hrvatska mreža zdravih gradova prepoznaje ovu sistemsku inicijativu kao pionirsku u Hrvatskoj te je izabire kao pilot projekt suradnje s međunarodnom stručnom i znanstvenom zajednicom.

Partnerships were soon established with the American International Health Alliance (AIHA), Dr Diane Abatemarco, Dr Bernadette West, and the School of Public Health at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

A series of innovative integrated programs and projects followed, engaging all elementary schools in Split, more than 20,000 children and youth, their parents, educators, entrepreneurs, civil activists, retirees, and people with disabilities.

Projects such as Northland, PETRA, and Stella Polaris introduced innovative project-based social learning programs, achieving remarkable results. Split transitioned from being a “case city” to a model of best practices. The Healthy City initiative and its projects received numerous accolades, including awards for the best project, best organisation, best scientific work, EU project as an example of good practice, and best film on an EU project. Its publications and manuals are widely used in Croatia and the broader region.

The founder of Eupolis Group was appointed as an ambassador of social innovation for Croatia as part of the European Social Innovation Network project coordinated by the Young Foundation.

By 2012, the total value of Healthy City projects exceeded €6 million. In addition to the support of the Croatian Government, the EU, UNDP, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), numerous other public and private organisations, including embassies in Croatia, supported the initiative.

The Healthy City Association continues to operate successfully today. For more information about its work, visit www.zdravigrad.hr.

The Dancing with Angels project has been bringing together up to 1,000 participants annually, including people with disabilities, their family members, young people, and adults, to provide dancing to those who have never had the chance to be in a disco club. It was initiated by young volunteers of the PETRA Healthy City project, led by Pinija Poljaković, a successful entrepreneur and communication skills trainer today.
The "Path of Health" program promoted healthy eating and lifestyles under the direction of program manager Željko Petrović and external associates of the Healthy City Association.
The Dancing with Angels project has been bringing together up to 1,000 participants annually, including people with disabilities, their family members, young people, and adults, to provide dancing to those who have never had the chance to be in a disco club. It was initiated by young volunteers of the PETRA Healthy City project, led by Pinija Poljaković, a successful entrepreneur and communication skills trainer today.

See our other projects too:

EuPolis Split was our first major investment project in spatial development and public-private partnership. It represented the first experiment in integrated urban development based on the principles of wise spaces.

After its renovation and opening in 2014, the fortress became a prestigious stage for cultural events and an example of successful regeneration of cultural heritage with the use of EU funds.

The integrated development of the City of Biograd included numerous projects worth a total of around 10 million euros, including the construction of the Business Incubator, the BioSfera Center for Sustainable Active Tourism, the Tourist Information Center, and the Recycling Yard.