Abstract

This paper seeks to explore the politics of health promotion as a continual process of public health globally and locally. Our main objective in this study is to present the health promotion education initiatives taken by the World Health Organization (WHO) at an international level and also to examine the politics of health promotion in Greece, putting emphasis on the school system. In this approach, the possible influences of the WHO’s politics are going to be sought. Available data point out that several efforts have been done over the last three decades by international organizations and national governments, including Greece, to establish the appropriate policies for the achievement of better health conditions. These initiatives have resulted to the significant improvement of the quality of health promotion provided in Europe. However, systematic health promotion programs and policies are still required to further improve the current situation of health education promotion in the European countries. On the other hand, health promotion and health school education policies in Greek schools are still being implemented in the extracurricular activities. The fundamental conditions for health promotion are thus constantly expected to include socioeconomic and environmental factors that can influence the level of health and quality of life.Investing on health should increasingly be seen by the European countries, including Greece, as a target towards the socio-economic development, the improvement of the environment and, finally, the upgrading of peoples’ quality of life.

Key words: Health promotion politics, education, school, WHO, Greece.