Cities for Children
The European Network Cities for Children was initiated by the City of Stuttgart with the support of the Robert Bosch Stiftung in 2007. The Network offers European cities the possibility to exchange and to develop progressive concepts across national borders on how to promote the well-being of children, young persons and parents in the urban environment. It has been created in the view of the demographic situation in Europe which constitutes an enormous challenge for the long-term viability of our cities.
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and The Committee of the Regions support the Network as patrons.
Over 71 cities from 32 European countries actively take part in the Network activities.
6th Annual Conference Network Cities for Children
How do European municipalities create child-friendly neighbourhoods? How do city administrations develop and construct urban spaces and encourage interaction between all citizens, regardless of their age, social position and ethnicity? How do cities manage to meet the high standards of ecological sustainability when they develop strategies for infrastructure and housing of neighbourhoods?
On the 14th and 15th of May 2012, the members of the Network will discuss these questions with urban planners Angelus Eisinger, Angela Uttke, practitioners, politicians, representatives from international institutions and representatives of the patron institutions of the Network, the Committee of the Regions, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.
Please find the conference programme here.
6th Annual Conference - Documentation Online
The year 2011 was a very successful one for the Network Cities for Children and therefore we would like to cordially thank you all for your kind support, your cooperation and your interest in our events. The documentation of the Annual Conference is now available online.
Throughout the years, the Network Cities for Children has made a huge step from being a mere information platform to now being a political platform. The Award 2012 again turned out to be very important. 22 cities from 11 European countries applied for the award.
But the core of the Network is you - your meetings, your personal contact, your personal exchange. The survey we evaluated in the context of the Annual Conference 2011 showed that it is indeed the personal exchange between colleagues which you all profit from, tremendously.
Therefore, we are very much looking forward to the next workshop meetings and the conference in Stuttgart and we wish you merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!
Award 2011 - Documentation now online
The Cities of Antwerp and Birmingham are the winning cities of the European Award of Excellence "City for Children" 2011 on media education. The project StampMedia of the city of Antwerp (Belgium) enables children and youngsters to publish media content in a real press agency. The project Keeping IT in the Family of the city of Birmingham (Great Britain) uses a sophisticated method to provide even deprived families with IT literacy: children teach their own families using electronic tools provided by the city administratition.
The documentation of the European Award of Excellence "City for Children" 2011 is now available online.
4th European Award of Excellence "City for Children"
The 4th European Award of Excellence "City for Children" is dedicated to child-friendly urban planning. The Award is directed at projects, which aim at designing neighbourhoods in a holistic approach. The jury searches for innovative neighbourhood projects which take the perspective of children and their families when conceptualizing the qualities of urban areas with regards to development, architecture, free spaces and use.
The call for submission for the Award 2012 has ended. For futher information and the application form please follow this link.
5th Annual Conference on "Media Literacy"
On June 6th and 7th 2011, Europe's advocates of child-friendliness assembled in the City Hall of the State Capital City of Stuttgart. The European Network Cities for Children, its members, partners, patrons and those who are interested in the issue of child friendliness came together to exchange ideas on policies increasing the media competence of children and young people in European cities.
During the conference, Mayor Dr. Wolfang Schuster handed over the "Agenda for Media Literacy" to the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Rainer Wieland. The Agenda contains policy recommendations on how to increase media literacy of children and young people in European municipalities. The Agenda was authored by Professor David Buckingham, major international expert on media literacy, in cooperation with the member cities of the European Network Cities for Children. For insight into the Agenda, please follow this link.
The conference documentation will soon be available on this website.
Children filming Children 2011
In 2011, children from 17 Cities of the European Network Cities for Children produced one-minute video clips presenting their cities and their projects from their own perspective. The cities provided the children the opportunity to work with media experts, produce, film and edit the films themselves and thus gain media literacy. To view the clips, please follow this link.
