About us

Society to Renew the Hungarian Public Health

Our mission

We believe that health is the primary condition for a full and happy life, and that modern and effective public health is essential to attain this goal. Significant health losses in Hungary and their socio-spatial disparities draw attention to the fact that the solutions to public health problems have not been effective and efficient in Hungary. Therefore, the aim of our association is to develop the theory and practice of public health in Hungary with a new approach.

Our history

The association was founded in 2020 by a group of professionals from different fields. Founders: Éva Bíró, Péter Csizmadia, János Girán, Csilla Kaposvári, Zoltán István Kiss, Zsófia Kollányi, Edina Kőrösiné Horváth, Márton Pipicz, János Sándor, József Vitrai, Marianna Várfalvi.

Our activities

Planetary Health in a Time of Multiple Crises

The conference “Planetary Health in a Time of Multiple Crises” was held on 19 March 2026 at the HUN-REN Centre in Budapest, Hungary. Organized by the HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research and the Society to Renew the Hungarian Public Health, the event brought together researchers, public health professionals and experts from multiple disciplines to discuss the interconnected ecological, climate, social, economic and health challenges of our time.

The presentations addressed topics such as climate change and health, sustainable food systems, environmental justice, mental health, biodiversity loss and the societal impacts of multiple overlapping crises. Through interdisciplinary dialogue, the conference highlighted the importance of planetary health approaches in shaping more sustainable and resilient futures.

Strengthening the Regulation of Food Marketing Targeted at Children

The Society to Renew the Hungarian Public Health launched an initiative in 2025 to strengthen the regulation of food marketing targeting children in Hungary. The initiative aimed to support healthier nutrition among children and reduce the long-term burden of obesity and other chronic diseases through evidence-based public health policies.

As part of the initiative, the association organized expert roundtable discussions, developed professional policy recommendations, and promoted interdisciplinary dialogue based on WHO guidance and international best practices.

Multidisciplinary Working Group for the Renewal of Hungarian Public Health

In response to ongoing and expected transformations in the Hungarian healthcare and public health system, the Society to Renew the Hungarian Public Health initiated the development of a professional public health concept aimed at supporting evidence-based decision-making. The initiative was based on the understanding that improving population health requires close cooperation between the health sector and partners from other fields.

An interdisciplinary working group involving public health experts, physicians, psychologists, sociologists, lawyers, economists and biostatisticians developed the concept through a broad, multi-stage consultation process. As a result, the association published the white paper “Foundations for Improving Health and Wellbeing – A White Paper on the 21st-Century Renewal of Hungarian Public Health”, which provides strategic recommendations for the modernization of public health in Hungary.

Health Promoting University Professional Forum

The Society to Renew the Hungarian Public Health launched the “Health Promoting Universities” initiative in 2023 to support Hungarian higher education institutions in creating healthier and more wellbeing-oriented university environments. The initiative promotes a comprehensive approach to health promotion based on international frameworks such as the Okanagan Charter and encourages cooperation between universities through the establishment of the “Universities for Health and Wellbeing Network” (EGÉSZJÓL).

As part of the initiative, the association organized professional forums, coordinated interdisciplinary collaboration among university experts, and initiated the development of a national university health and wellbeing assessment system. The project aims to support evidence-based health promotion strategies and strengthen the role of universities in improving health, sustainability and social wellbeing.

Journal of Multidisciplinary Health & Wellbeing

The Society to Renew the Hungarian Public Health launched the multidisciplinary journal Multidisciplinary Health&Wellbeing (MEJ) to provide a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue on health, wellbeing and sustainability. The journal aims to connect experts from public health, medicine, social sciences, psychology, environmental sciences and other related fields in order to address complex contemporary health challenges through integrated approaches.

Through the publication of scientific articles, professional analyses and thematic issues, the Association contributes to the dissemination of innovative public health concepts and supports knowledge sharing between researchers, professionals and decision-makers.

Café N3.0 online discussion series

To introduce the new public health approach, N3.0, we organized an online discussion series Café N3.0 in April and June 2021. Each session was complemented by a keynote presentation and a small group exercise. Participants were recruited via Facebook. In May 2021, Zsófia Kollányi and József Vitrai gave an introductory lecture on the basics of the N3.0 approach to the staff of the National Institute for Pharmacy and Nutrition (OGYÉI) in cooperation with the OGYÉI, and these lectures were presented at the Celebration of Science in November 2021 by the Szeged Regional Committee, Medical Sciences Committee, Health Promotion Working Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.