From 6 to 13 April 2025, the city and region of Utrecht will be the beating heart of health
Utrecht, 28 March 2025 - Utrecht is preparing for the 3rd edition of Dutch Health Week. From 6 to 13 April 2025, the city and region of Utrecht will again be the beating heart of health and fitness. For both citizens and (healthcare) professionals, there will be numerous events and activities with themes such as food & drink, education, sports and culture. Programme locations include Hogeschool Utrecht, Green Business Club, Neude library, Koninklijke Jaarbeurs, Centraal Museum, museum Flehite Amersfoort and various sports associations. Dutch Health Week is an initiative of Jaarbeurs and is organised in close cooperation with various Utrecht parties including the municipality of Utrecht, Utrecht Marketing, Economic Board Utrecht, the ROM and Utrecht Business. Dutch Health Week will be opened on Sunday 6 April during Cultural Sunday by alderman Susanne Schilderman.
A week for everyone interested in health
Dutch Health Week is the annual event in the city and region of Utrecht for both citizens and (healthcare) professionals that is all about health. Audrey Wilschut, Dutch Health Week project leader: "The last edition of Dutch Health Week was a success. The city was buzzing, the interest in activities was enormous. Together with many Utrecht organisations, from small to large, we have laid an excellent foundation for the coming edition. I am convinced that this year we will again put down a beautiful and inspiring week with the common goal: healthy together!"
Some of the activities
In Zeist, Dutch Health Week starts with a 'breakfast challenge'. In museum Flehite Amersfoort, the exhibition 'Pretty Dark' highlights the mental well-being of young people. On 9 April, the Green Business Club Utrecht organises an inspiration café with forester Arjan Postma exploring the parallels between nature and everyday life. On 10 April, Hogeschool Utrecht will offer an interactive workshop on the importance of good sleep. On Sunday 13 April, yoga classes will take place at Centraal Museum, followed by a tour of the exhibition 'Good Mom/Bad Mom. Jeroen van Hooff, CEO Royal Jaarbeurs: "This is just a selection of the activities. Over the past months, we have worked hard on the programme for Dutch Health Week together with our partners. I am enormously proud of the result in which, in addition to healthcare professionals at our healthcare trade fairs, we take the entire city of Utrecht on our 'healthy' journey and provide proof that Utrecht is rightfully 'Utrecht, Heart of Health'."
Art of Health exhibition
From 6 to 13 April, the exhibition Art of Health with art by makers from Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht (HKU) will be on show. In three specially placed glass containers at three locations - Jaarbeursplein Utrecht, Utrecht Science Park and the Eemplein in Amersfoort - five artists use their imagination to give a glimpse of a healthy society of the future. This exhibition is a collaboration of HKU and Utrecht, Heart of Health as part of Dutch Health Week.
Especially for (care) professionals
For healthcare professionals, the Zorg & ict trade fair in Jaarbeurs is the place to be inspired by the latest smart technologies and ICT solutions. This year, the trade fair introduces a new section: Zorg & hr, where innovative technical possibilities are presented to effectively tackle personnel challenges in healthcare. On Wednesday 9 April, Hogeschool Utrecht and Dutch Health Hub will organise a meeting at the Utrecht Library on how the social and care domains can work better together to support people in vulnerable positions in a timely manner and prevent an accumulation of problems. In a stimulating debate led by Pieter Hilhorst, administrators and experts will discuss systemic challenges and the power of communities. Street doctor Michelle van Tongerloo will share her practical experiences, in which she sees the consequences of policies that do not match reality on a daily basis. An online vitality workshop for healthcare professionals by the Helen Dowling Academy will also be offered on 9 April.
Opening Dutch Health Week during Cultural Sunday 'Beating Heart'
Dutch Health Week will be opened on Sunday 6 April on the Jaarbeursplein during Cultural Sunday by alderman Susanne Schilderman with the signing of the manifesto of 'Utrecht, Heart of Health' together with several members of the Economic Board Utrecht. The opening will be framed by a live performance Tussen Wij en Ik by HKU alumna Coco van der Wiel at 12.30 on the Jaarbeursplein and in the afternoon at 15.00 on the Eemplein in Amersfoort as part of the exhibition 'Art of Health'. During Cultural Sunday 'Beating Heart', Utrecht residents and visitors can enjoy a free cultural festival on the Jaarbeursplein and at the Kinepolis. In cooperation with various Utrecht cultural and social institutions, a programme of music performances, dance, lectures, film and a cosy terrace has been put together. Cor Jansen, Director of Utrecht Marketing: "Culture is oxygen in and of society. It has been proven that experiencing culture in the broadest sense contributes to people's health and healthy living in the city and region. By connecting economy, care and culture, we are working on a healthy region to which everyone contributes. Utrecht is the 'Beating Heart' of healthy Netherlands"
Dutch Health Week 2025 will take place from 6 to 13 April in the city and region of Utrecht. The full programme can be found at dutch-healthweek.nl.
