2026 ESKİŞEHİR CHILDREN'S WORKSHOP - FUTURE SHAPED BY LITTLE DREAMS

The 'City's Architect Children - 2026 Eskişehir Children's Workshop,' organized by Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality, took place at Haller Youth Center, featuring colorful and inspiring moments. The workshop, attended by children aged 8-12, reimagined Eskişehir's future through the imagination, ideas, and creations of its youngest participants. Organized by the children, the workshop was attended by Ayşe Ünlüce, Mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality, who said, "We know that the future of a city is shaped by how much it pays attention to the voices of its children."

At this special gathering, aimed at encouraging children's active participation in city life, the children shared their needs and dreams for Eskişehir and experienced what it feels like to be the "architects of the city." The creative ideas that emerged during the day-long activities once again highlighted the strong foundation for a child-friendly approach to urban life.

Alongside Ayşe Ünlüce, Mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality, Republican People's Party (CHP) MPs Utku Çakırözer and Dr. Jale Nur Süllü also attended the workshop, closely observing the children's work,engaging with their ideas, and supporting the process.

Mayor Ünlüce remarked, ''We want to make 2026 not only the year of our projects but also the year of our children's dreams. At the Children's Workshop, we listened to our children's requests, acknowledged their ideas about the city, addressed their rights, and made sure their voices were heard and valued, because we know that the future of a city is shaped by how much it listens to the voices of its children.''

CHILD-FRIENDLY CITY VISION

The main purpose of the workshop, organized by the Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality's Children's Rights Unit, was to evaluate the services provided to children by the municipality's departments through the direct participation of children, and to make their opinions, needs, and dreams about urban life be seen. The process was guided by the principle of children's right to participate in decision-making.

At the opening and briefing session, children were given an age appropriate overview of the services provided by Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality. Besides introducing the initiatives of departments directly working with children--such as social services, culture, youth, parks and gardens, transportation, and environment--examples were also shared to show how departments providing indirect services, such as zoning, roads, infrastructure, disaster management, and digital services, contribute to the city and to children's lives.

6 TABLES, 6 DIFFERENT DREAMS

At the workshop, children participated in creation, design, and discussion-based activities at six separate tables across two sessions. Each table accommodated 12 children, with 2 teachers/staff assigned to support the process. While one staff member carried out observation, reporting, and note-taking, the other took on a facilitative and supportive role with the children.

At the tables, diverse content reflecting children's perspectives on urban life was presented covering the themes: 'Child-Friendly City,' 'Child-Friendly Services,' 'Fun and Safe Travel,' 'Sustainable Urban Practices,' 'Children in the Digital World,' and 'Eskişehir Activity Map.'