Chemnitz presents a new town hall guide for children on June 26th!

Chemnitz presents a new town hall guide for children on June 26th!

On June 26th at 9 a.m. a very special project will be presented in the Green Salon of the town hall in Chemnitz: the new town hall guide for children. Mayor Sven Schulze will present the 36-page publication, which is aimed at children and young people. With a lot of joy and creativity, the illustrator David Füleki, winner of a creative competition, designed the guide, which was created together with two school classes: the fourth grade of the Annenschule primary school and the sixth grade of the Georgius-Agricola-Gymnasium in the 2024/2025 school year.

The little explorers can look forward to an exciting journey through the town hall. They accompany the town hall mouse and a lion and not only learn exciting things about the figures in the foyer or the bell in the high tower, but also about how the city council and the city administration work. Important information about democratic participation for children was also taken into account. The guide will also contain puzzles, coloring and troubleshooting pictures for added fun.

Participation and democracy for young citizens

The creation of the guide is part of the “Young Town Hall” project, which is financed with around 15,000 euros from tax revenue. The active participation of teachers and students in particular enriched this project: many ideas came from the classes who helped design animals and other elements. Katrin Günther, the youth participation coordinator for the city of Chemnitz, leads the project and maintains the connection between children and the city administration.

This commitment to the young generation is not unique to Chemnitz. As part of the citizen participation “Future City Center,” experts and citizens in Leoben have been contributing their ideas for redesigning the city center since 2019. Central content was recorded in a master plan, which is to be implemented in the coming years. Specific projects are already planned for 2023 and 2024, such as the redesign of the main square. These initiatives show how important it is to involve young people in urban issues.

Children as co-creators of their environment

What is the best way to involve children and young people in community issues? The “Democracy in Children’s Hands” program shows some approaches on how children can play an active role. With the help of a toolbox for child participation, municipalities are supported in developing methods for successful participation, be it through youth juries or simply through direct involvement in projects. This is not only intended to show children the importance of their voice, but also to promote their self-efficacy.

In order to actively shape the children's world and implement their ideas, mayors also need support and resources. The exchange of experiences and recommendations for action shows that taking the needs of young people into account plays a fundamental role in shaping future-oriented local politics. These motivations and commitments can be found not only in Chemnitz, but in numerous municipalities that are also dedicated to child participation.

7,500 copies of the new guide are available for all children and young people in Chemnitz; these will be available in the town hall and as a class set at every school in Chemnitz. Another step to bring adolescents into the focus of city politics!

You can find more information about this exciting project here: Chemnitz. There is also news about similar projects in Leoben: Leoben. And you can find exciting approaches to child participation at The future package read up.