Promotion of inclusive health and wellbeing communities in Āgenskalns Neighbourhood in Riga (IN-HABIT project) Veselīgu un iekļaujošu kopienu veicināšana Āgenskalna apkaimē (IN-HABIT projekts)

In the frame of the IN-HABIT project (2020-2025, Inclusive Health and Well-Being In Small and Medium Size Cities, EU Horizon 2020 programme) – Riga, Cordoba (Spain), Lucca (Italy) and Nitra (Slovakia) – are taking the lead to test visionary and integrated solutions for fostering inclusive health and wellbeing (IHW) with a focus on gender and diversity. IN-HABIT’s visionary approach consists of the innovative mobilization of pre-existing undervalued resources (culture, food, human-animal bonds and environment) to increase IHW. The integrated approach is based on the combination of technological, digital, nature-based, cultural, and social innovations in selected urban public spaces. These solutions are co-designed, co-deployed and co-managed with and by local stakeholders. The objective in Riga is to promote healthy and inclusive communities in the Agenskalns neighbourhood by developing Agenskalns market and its surroundings into an open and creative sustainable food hub as the basis for both urban (in general) and local neighbourhood IHW. The potential of this Agenskalns local area as a space for promoting healthy and sustainable food habits, social and cultural integration, and cohesion is utilized, thus making the neighbourhood a desirable and safe place to live and visit. For this are needed both (i) improvements of physical public infrastructure in and around the territory of Agenskalns market, including new green zones and new, easily accessible infrastructure to encourage the use of bicycles and healthy mobility practices, and (ii) the promotion of food-related educational and consumption practices, which are on-going, co-designed with local stakeholders.