Seventeen schools and a children’s association in Vitoria-Gasteiz have participated in the program during the 2024-2025 school year.
The Aktiba(tu) program for children and adolescents from the City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz bid farewell to the 2024-2025 school year on Wednesday with a closing session held at the Zabalgana civic center. A total of 2,681 children and adolescents from 17 schools and a children’s association in the capital of Alava have participated in various activities.
In a statement, the City Council highlighted that the program offers different options, including a radio program, a newspaper, a blog, elkargune, and video creation, among others.
Councilor for Social Policies, Lucho Royero, attended a reception hosted by the City Council for the participating schools, gathering around 250 people including students and teachers. «You have the right to express your opinions, and we, as the City Council, must take them into account. We must do everything possible to make these rights a reality,» he said at the event.
Following this, a video summarizing the activities of the school year was shown, and testimonials from the participants about their experiences were shared.
CHILD-FRIENDLY CITY
The City Council highlighted that Vitoria-Gasteiz has been a Child-Friendly City since 2018, a designation granted by UNICEF based on specific criteria and renewed in 2023. One of the reasons for this recognition is the active participation of children and adolescents in city matters. The Aktiba(tu) Children and Adolescent Participation Program is developed within this framework and with this purpose in mind.
It was mentioned that the Program for Child and Adolescent Participation in Vitoria-Gasteiz was launched in 2006 under the name Lagunkide, which later evolved into the current Aktiba(tu). The program is aimed at children up to 14 years old, as those older can participate in Hiretu Hiria, promoted by the Municipal Youth Service.
«The feedback on the program, both from students and teachers, has been very positive, as in previous years. For students, it enhances their view of themselves as active citizens with full rights. They feel valued, heard, and involved in making contributions to the city. For the City Council, children’s contributions serve as reflections to incorporate improvements and changes in some activities,» the City Council explained.
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