Participants engage in:
- Sessions focused on project and programme learning
- Discussions on systems change, participation and urban wellbeing
- Collaborative workshops and peer exchange
- Informal moments that strengthen the global community
Learning and Impact
Global Learning Forum
The Global Learning Forum (GLF) is the main global event for the Healthy Cities for Adolescents community comes together to reflect, connect and shape the future of the programme.
It convenes project teams, adolescents, city stakeholders and global partners to share experiences, explore common challenges and build a shared understanding of what works across different contexts.
More than a knowledge-sharing event, the Forum creates space for collective reflection, alignment and forward-looking dialogue – helping turn local experience into programme-wide insight and direction.
How the Forum works
Each Forum is designed as an intensive, multi-day experience combining exchange, reflection and strategic discussion.
In practice, it creates space to:
- Connect learning across cities and countries
- Reflect on progress and emerging challenges
- Strengthen relationships across the HCA community
- Shape priorities for the next phase of the programme
In practice
GLF 2024 – Bath, United Kingdom
The first Global Learning Forum in May 2024 brought together participants from nine projects across six countries. Over three days, the Forum focused on exchanging learning across projects, taking stock of programme progress at mid-term, and identifying priorities for the next phase. Through discussions, workshops and collaborative sessions, participants explored how local experiences connect to broader system change.
GLF 2026 – Ho, Ghana
The second Global Learning Forum in February 2026 brought together over 150 adolescents, practitioners, city actors and partners from the six countries and 17 cities across the HCA network for a week-long, youth-centred learning journey, hosted in Ghana. Over five days, adolescent leaders and project teams from Ghana, Senegal, Colombia, Ecuador, India and Vietnam came together with the HCA global team and Fondation Botnar to share experiences, reflect on practice, and explore how cities can become healthier, safer and more inclusive for young people. The Forum reflected a shift from understanding what works to exploring how to scale and sustain it.
Read about other ways learning happens across the programme:
Learning Exchanges
Peer-to-peer exchange opportunities between projects.
Impact Stories
Real examples of change and lessons emerging from projects.