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Embassy of Health

Chronic Health – vital changes for a caring society

Good health depends on many factors. Our health is not only determined by the quality of medical care and technological developments but also by our lifestyle, the quality of our social contacts and our living and working environment. Moreover, all these factors are interrelated, which makes the improvement of health in the community quite complex.

This complexity can be overwhelming and give you the feeling that you can make little difference on your own. And yet, we all need to contribute. Whether you are a farmer who decides to go organic, a hairdresser offering the neighbourhood a place to meet or a philosopher who rethinks the system of (mental) health care, everyone can and should contribute to a healthier society.

In order to realise the changes that we need to stay healthy, we have to join forces. This is what the exhibition Chronic Health – vital changes for a caring society – in the Embassy of Health is all about. This exhibition shows that the transition to ‘chronic health’ is a matter of new coalitions working together. And that designers can be the catalyst for this. The exhibition shows some inspiring examples of such unexpected collaborations and their results.

Meet these 11 creators of a healthy society. Discover how healthcare professionals, patients, residents, students, researchers, housing corporations, farmers, tech companies, local artisans, artists and designers work together towards a broader, more inclusive and sustainable, more healthy society.

And you, how do you contribute to a healthy society?

The Embassy is currently working on the development of the narrative.

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Marleen van Bergeijk is the curator of this Embassy. She is active as a freelance social designer with a focus on health and well-being. In 2016 she graduated in Industrial Design from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). Driven by her personal experience – Van Bergeijk had to deal with juvenile rheumatism at a young age – she looks at the health care system from a human perspective. In her work, she brings together social shifts and technology and investigates how they can be translated into connecting social interaction.

Since 2020 she is part of the collective Kade Clubhuis, an Eindhoven workshop full of social makers. Marleen is a connector in the creative field. For example, since 2018 she is part of the program team of Dutch Design Week and she is one of the initiators of The Social Design Lobby, where she makes a strong case for the positioning of the (social) design field within social issues.