Kutse

The second meeting of the EHP on Risk Reduction in the School Environment

Healthy schools: from evidence base to intervention

online meeting (draft agenda)

Coordinator: National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy, Hungary

Date: 8−9 May 2025

Time: from 14:00−17:00, 8 May 2025 to 9:00−13:00, 9 May 2025 (CEST)

Scope and purpose

Healthy school environment in fundamental for the protection of children’s health and for

optimising learning outcomes. SDG 4a. calls countries to “build and upgrade education facilities that

are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective

learning environments for all”. The WHO European Environment and Health Process also prioriztises

children’s health since 2004. By adopting the Budapest Declaration at the 7th Ministerial Conference

on Environment and Health, environment and health ministers of the pan-European Region

committed to improve indoor air quality to reduce children’s exposure to chemical hazards and to

ensure equitable access to safe water and sanitation services in all settings.

The evidence of school environmental impacts on health and learning outcomes is well established,

through a extensive international research. Through the work of WHO and its partners, this

knowledge – both on indoor air quality and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) – has been

translated into practical tools and other resources that are available to all countries in the WHO

European Region. However, the uptake of good practices lags in many countries.

At the 7th Ministerial Conference, a new mechanism was established to support the implementation

of the regional commitments in the form of Environment and Health Process (EHP) Partnerships. The

EHP Partnership risk reduction in school environments was established with the leadership of

Hungary to support peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing on existing good practices

between countries and other partners. The current partners are Belarus, Georgia, Germany,

Hungary, Luxemburg, Montenegro and the Republic of Moldova. The present meeting is an

opportunity for identifying such good practices on regulating, monitoring and improving school

environments and means of awareness raising of school staff, parents and pupils.

Draft agenda

Chairs: Éva Csobod, Marta Vargha

Day 1 - 8 May

14:00-14.15 Welcome and introduction

Orsolya Surján, deputy chief medical officer, National Center for

Public Health and Pharmacy

WHO Regional Office for Europe representative (tbc)

Haris Hajruhalovic, head of the WHO Country Office of Hungary

Francesca Racioppi, Head of the WHO Bonn Office

Introduction: scope, objective and expected outcomes of the 2nd

meeting Tamás Pándics, director, National Center for Public Health

and Pharmacy, Hungary

14:15 -14:45 Setting the scene: Healthy schools in the European Environment and

Health Process, speaker: Irina Zastenskaya, senior expert, WHO

Europe, Bonn Office,

Session 1: Building on the evidence base

Environment and health research: activities and projects in schools in

the WHO European Region. Dr. Tamás Pándics

Case study of a European international project in schools. Éva Csobod,

Hungary

15.20- 16.50

Session 2: National case studies

Good practices on indoor air quality, drinking water and sanitation in

schools (including cooperation of the environment, health, education,

transport, energy, etc sectors). Speakers:

• Belarus: Alena Drazdova (subs.Tanya Pronina Nikolaevna):

Water and Health in schools

• Georgia: Robizon Tsiklauri: Environment and health in schools

in Georgia

• Germany: Wolfram Birmili: Indoor quality in public buildings in

Germany – current challenges and ways for improvement

• Hungary: Anna Páldy: Children’s respiratory health -

nationwide surveys (tbc)

• Luxemburg: Caroline Eicher (subs.Laurence Wurth):Indoor air

projects in schools in Luxemburg

• Moldova: Ion Salaru: WASH in schools in Moldova

• Montenegro: Borko Bajić: Sanitation - good practices in

preschool settings

16.50-17.15 Moderated general discussion and closing of the day.

Day 2 - 9 May

9.00- 9.15

Opening of the day: EHP Partnership on risk reduction in school

environment (indoor air quality, drinking water and sanitation).

Short summary of the Day 1.

9.15- 10.15

10.15-10.45

Session 3: Tools and mitigation measures (methods, monitoring, data

bases for assessment), speakers:

• Comprehensive guidance for schools in Germany, Wolfram

Birmili (tbc)

• Guidelines and checklist for schools, Dr. Tamás Szigeti,

Hungary

• WASH tools developed under the Protocol on Water and

Health, WHO Bonn Office (tbc)

General discussion: Existing good practices which could be taken up

by the partners.

10.45- 11.00 Coffee and health break

11.00- 11.45

Session 4: Risk communication and awareness raising (for teachers,

children, parents, technical staff of schools, etc). Speaker: tbc

Moderated discussion: Main country priorities for risk

communication.

What is the role of media?

11:45 -12:15 General discussion: What are the proposed future activities of the

partnership?

12:15 -12:30

Wrap-up and closing.

The second meeting of the EHP on Risk Reduction in the School Environment

Healthy schools: from evidence base to intervention

online meeting (draft agenda)

Coordinator: National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy, Hungary

Date: 8−9 May 2025

Time: from 14:00−17:00, 8 May 2025 to 9:00−13:00, 9 May 2025 (CEST)

Scope and purpose

Healthy school environment in fundamental for the protection of children’s health and for

optimising learning outcomes. SDG 4a. calls countries to “build and upgrade education facilities that

are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective

learning environments for all”. The WHO European Environment and Health Process also prioriztises

children’s health since 2004. By adopting the Budapest Declaration at the 7th Ministerial Conference

on Environment and Health, environment and health ministers of the pan-European Region

committed to improve indoor air quality to reduce children’s exposure to chemical hazards and to

ensure equitable access to safe water and sanitation services in all settings.

The evidence of school environmental impacts on health and learning outcomes is well established,

through a extensive international research. Through the work of WHO and its partners, this

knowledge – both on indoor air quality and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) – has been

translated into practical tools and other resources that are available to all countries in the WHO

European Region. However, the uptake of good practices lags in many countries.

At the 7th Ministerial Conference, a new mechanism was established to support the implementation

of the regional commitments in the form of Environment and Health Process (EHP) Partnerships. The

EHP Partnership risk reduction in school environments was established with the leadership of

Hungary to support peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing on existing good practices

between countries and other partners. The current partners are Belarus, Georgia, Germany,

Hungary, Luxemburg, Montenegro and the Republic of Moldova. The present meeting is an

opportunity for identifying such good practices on regulating, monitoring and improving school

environments and means of awareness raising of school staff, parents and pupils.

Draft agenda

Chairs: Éva Csobod, Marta Vargha

Day 1 - 8 May

14:00-14.15 Welcome and introduction

Orsolya Surján, deputy chief medical officer, National Center for

Public Health and Pharmacy

WHO Regional Office for Europe representative (tbc)

Haris Hajruhalovic, head of the WHO Country Office of Hungary

Francesca Racioppi, Head of the WHO Bonn Office

Introduction: scope, objective and expected outcomes of the 2nd

meeting Tamás Pándics, director, National Center for Public Health

and Pharmacy, Hungary

14:15 -14:45 Setting the scene: Healthy schools in the European Environment and

Health Process, speaker: Irina Zastenskaya, senior expert, WHO

Europe, Bonn Office,

Session 1: Building on the evidence base

Environment and health research: activities and projects in schools in

the WHO European Region. Dr. Tamás Pándics

Case study of a European international project in schools. Éva Csobod,

Hungary

15.20- 16.50

Session 2: National case studies

Good practices on indoor air quality, drinking water and sanitation in

schools (including cooperation of the environment, health, education,

transport, energy, etc sectors). Speakers:

• Belarus: Alena Drazdova (subs.Tanya Pronina Nikolaevna):

Water and Health in schools

• Georgia: Robizon Tsiklauri: Environment and health in schools

in Georgia

• Germany: Wolfram Birmili: Indoor quality in public buildings in

Germany – current challenges and ways for improvement

• Hungary: Anna Páldy: Children’s respiratory health -

nationwide surveys (tbc)

• Luxemburg: Caroline Eicher (subs.Laurence Wurth):Indoor air

projects in schools in Luxemburg

• Moldova: Ion Salaru: WASH in schools in Moldova

• Montenegro: Borko Bajić: Sanitation - good practices in

preschool settings

16.50-17.15 Moderated general discussion and closing of the day.

Day 2 - 9 May

9.00- 9.15

Opening of the day: EHP Partnership on risk reduction in school

environment (indoor air quality, drinking water and sanitation).

Short summary of the Day 1.

9.15- 10.15

10.15-10.45

Session 3: Tools and mitigation measures (methods, monitoring, data

bases for assessment), speakers:

• Comprehensive guidance for schools in Germany, Wolfram

Birmili (tbc)

• Guidelines and checklist for schools, Dr. Tamás Szigeti,

Hungary

• WASH tools developed under the Protocol on Water and

Health, WHO Bonn Office (tbc)

General discussion: Existing good practices which could be taken up

by the partners.

10.45- 11.00 Coffee and health break

11.00- 11.45

Session 4: Risk communication and awareness raising (for teachers,

children, parents, technical staff of schools, etc). Speaker: tbc

Moderated discussion: Main country priorities for risk

communication.

What is the role of media?

11:45 -12:15 General discussion: What are the proposed future activities of the

partnership?

12:15 -12:30

Wrap-up and closing.