The objective of the conference is to 1) clarify the HiAP concept and its tools, 2) explore the interlinkages of health goals with the government`s strategic goals, as well as goals with other sectoral policies, 3) explore the linkages between economics and health and wellbeing and 4) define capacity needs for HiAP implementation.

The Europe Day will pursue these objectives in a European context.

Overreaching methodological considerations to reach these aims include:
1) sharing practical experiences from various parts of the globe and various levels of governance
2) giving concrete guidance on the structures, tools and processes of HiAP implementation
3) giving voice to sectors beyond that of health

1) Clarify the HiAP concept and its tools
This will be done mainly by the first and fifth plenary (implementation of HiAP: the concept, mechanisms and processes and social change for health) and the parallel session following these plenaries. The Europe Day will also emphasize guidance on very specific practical policy examples. In the Europe Day the first plenary will pursue this in a European context

Materials: The conference background paper, the tool kit, HiAP book, policy brief, Finnish HiAP publication

2) Explore the interlinkages of health goals with the government`s strategic goals, as well as goals of other sectoral policies
This will be done mainly in plenaries 2 and 3 (policy making and health, and action on closing the health inequity gap) and parallel sessions linked to these. The European day will specially emphasize this in its parallel session, which will be lead by persons from sectors other than health.

Materials: conference background paper, HiAP book and policy brief, Finnish HiAP experience

3) Explore the linkages between economics and health and wellbeing
The third plenary and the parallel session linked to it will discuss this at least from the following points of view: economic growth, redistribution and health; sustainable development, economics and health; wealth creation and health; economic costs of exclusion, and innovative financing for health.
The Europe Day`s plenary 2 will concentrate on this matter.

Materials: Conference background paper, HiAP book (chapters 2 and 12), policy brief.

4) Define capacity needs for HiAP implementation.
This will be done in particular in the last plenary (building and sustaining capacity for HiAP) and the parallel sessions linked to it.

Materials: The tool kit, background paper, HiAP book (chapter 12 and 13), policy brief.

The expected number of participants for the conference is 800. The conference is by invitation only.
We expect 4-5 participants from each of the EU Member States, EFTA countries, applicant countries and other countries belonging to the European region, 75 from the host country, totalling 335 participants from the European region.
We are expecting 2 participants from each of the countries in the other regions:
92 from the African region,
70 from the region of the Americas,
43 from the South East Asia region,
76 from the Eastern Mediterranean region,
54 from the Western Pacific region,
335 participants in total.

We are also inviting 50 representatives of non-governmental organizations, 80 participants from international organizations, including from the European institutions and 50 participants from other organizations, including as key note speakers.

The participants will mainly be from the health sector, but also other sectors will be invited, such as agriculture, planning, transportation, education, foreign policy and development. The main focus will be on national public administration, but other levels of government will also be invited.

As the focus of the conference is on intersectoral action, in addition to participants from public health administration, participants will be invited from other policy sectors that have an impact on health. A large part of the participants are expected to be from national administration, but a number will be also from other levels of governments such as the regional and local levels of public administration.

WHO will have a strong presence in the conference both from its headquarters and from the regional offices. Also other international organizations from the UN family will be invited, as well as the OECD and financing Institutions.

As the conference is co-organized with WHO, and is of a global nature, we are expecting participation from all 193 Member countries of WHO. The European region will be overemphasized in number due to shorter travel distance.

Other participants will also be invited, such as international non-governmental organizations, experts and academia from the health promoting community and foundations.

The European Commission and other European institutions will of course also be invited to participate.

The global programme of the conference will have an opening ceremony and panel, six plenaries and linked to each of the plenaries there will be six parallel sessions (i.e. 36 parallel sessions in total). European speakers will be incorporated into these global plenaries and parallel sessions. Strong emphasis will be placed on speakers beyond the health sector.

The Europe Day

As a separate, but key part of the overall conference, there will be a special Europe Day focusing on the European policies. The aim is to ensure the participation of all conference participants for this day. The day will have two plenaries and two slots with six parallel sessions. The speakers will mainly be from the WHO European region secretariat, the EC and the European countries.
The first plenary of the European day will review the major developments in the European region, the EU and Finland. The second plenary will address the challenges and opportunities of HiAP in a time of austerity. It will be followed by parallel sessions on applying the principled negotiation to the achievement of HiAP. A second set of parallel sessions will discuss the policy process of health promotion in different settings and through different policies.

EU co-financing is sought only for the arrangement of the Europe Day.

One evening session will be dedicated to local field trips. The Europe Day will be followed by regional meetings. The last day of the conference will be dedicated to the conference statement. The opening plenary will address the development and implications of the health promotion conferences from Ottawa to Helsinki

The plenaries of the global conference will focus on the following topics:

1) Implementation of HiAP: the concept, mechanisms and processes
2) Policy making and health (i.e. how other sectors can deliver their own objectives and maximize the health and health equity potential)
3) Action on closing the health inequity gap
4) Economics of health and wellbeing
5) Social change for health
6) Building and sustaining capacity for HiAP

The plenary speakers have been predominantly identified. However, thus far the speakers have not been formally invited.
The structure of the whole conference, as well as a specific draft programme for the Europe Day are attached.

Also, as part of the Europe Day, a set of field visits will be organized, highlighting the theme of the conference in real life situations in Finland. Visits will take place at work places, schools, kindergardens, elderly care centers, health centres, local communities and major governmental research institutions. One visit will be a bicycle tour demonstrating the new inner city cycleway.