Each year on 7 April, World Health Day brings global attention to the importance of health and wellbeing for people everywhere. The 2026 theme, “Together for health. Stand with science,” established by the World Health Organization (WHO), calls on governments, institutions, professionals and communities to reaffirm the vital role of scientific evidence, collaboration, and trust in science in advancing global health.
This year’s observance also launches a year-long campaign highlighting how scientific cooperation helps protect the health of people, animals, plants, and the planet through the One Health approach, recognizing the deep interconnections between environmental, societal and human health.
The International Union of Architects (UIA) is honoured to maintain its official relations with the WHO as a non-State actor and remains committed to supporting its mission through the lens of the built environment. The spaces we design—from homes and schools to hospitals, cities and public spaces—have a profound influence on health outcomes, wellbeing, resilience and equity. Architecture and urban design therefore play a key role in shaping healthier and more sustainable communities.
Through initiatives such as the UIA Public Health Work Programme, the UIA continues to promote dialogue and knowledge exchange on the relationship between design and health. As part of this work, the programme will host the webinar “Design for Health in Africa” on 9 April 2026, bringing together distinguished speakers including Dr Alia Amer (Cairo, Egypt), Mr Musembi Mumo (Nairobi, Kenya), and Mrs Angela Hesketh (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa). The discussion will explore how design strategies, local expertise and interdisciplinary collaboration can support healthier communities across the African continent.
Learn more about the webinar here.
For architects and built-environment professionals, the message of this year’s campaign is clear: health must be embedded in the way we plan, design and build our environments. Evidence-based design, resilient infrastructure and inclusive public spaces are essential components of healthier societies.
On this World Health Day, the UIA joins the international community in standing with science and reaffirming its commitment to collaboration, knowledge and design excellence in support of healthier lives for all.
Stand with science. Design for health. Build a healthier future together.