The City of Leoben has a long-standing commitment to participatory, inclusive and age-friendly urban development. Since 2002, Leoben has pursued a structured and participatory strategic vision process involving local government, administration, businesses and residents. This process has been continuously updated, most recently with the adoption of the current city vision “Lust auf Leoben” in 2019. The strategic vision explicitly supports the UN Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and integrates age-friendly structures as a cross-cutting objective across all strategic areas.

Leoben has been an active member of the Austrian Healthy Cities Network since 1996, promoting the principles of the WHO Ottawa Charter and the Austrian Health Targets. Since 2023, the city has also been recognized as a “Healthy Municipality” in cooperation with Styria Vitalis. These frameworks guide local policies aimed at healthy ageing, social participation and accessible environments.

A key initiative addressing the needs of an ageing population is the Community Health Nursing project, introduced in 2022 with support from Gesundheit Österreich GmbH. This programme strengthens prevention, health promotion and care coordination through close cooperation with local stakeholders and helps identify and close gaps in health and care services.
Another central focus is dementia-friendly urban development. Through the Dementia-Friendly City Leoben network, involving around 20 local and regional actors, Leoben has developed coordinated measures such as a dementia guide, a dementia-friendly activity café and several projects.

In addition, pensioners’ associations, community initiatives, and a wide range of social, cultural and health-related services support active ageing, social inclusion and dignity in later life. Together, these policies and partnerships form a strong foundation for Leoben’s continued development as an age-friendly city.