2025 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

The Children’s Council of Torres Vedras was born from the belief that children should not only be heard, but also have the power to take action, transforming the city through their participation. Play is at the heart of this approach, used as a tool for research, expression, and social transformation. Inspired by the concept of La Città dei Bambini (Tonucci, 1997) and guided by Participatory Action Research (PAR), the project recognizes children as agents of change, co-creating solutions for a more inclusive and child-friendly public space. The process developed in two main phases:

• 1st Edition. Co-Creation of the "Children's Council" – Children from the 3rd and 4th grades of nine public schools participated in seven exploratory sessions where they played to map challenges of citizenship in childhood in Torres Vedras, identified needs, and co-created solutions through games such as "The Council Bottle Game" and "The Exploration Dice." The phase culminated in a Children's Assembly, where the children presented their "advice" to political representatives.
• 2nd Edition. Implementation and Transformation of the "City of Children" – The Council becomes a permanent space for active participation, where children not only express their opinions but also take action, co-creating concrete changes in public spaces and promoting continuous dialogue between the community and the municipality.

The impact extends to families, educators, municipal technicians, and political representatives, consolidating Torres Vedras as an innovative municipality in children's participatory governance. In addition to fostering active citizenship, the Council allows children to take ownership of public spaces through play and "learning by doing," building a more accessible and inclusive city. Continuous evaluation through focus groups, diaries, and audiovisual records has also shown increased autonomy, creativity, critical thinking, and a sense of belonging among children. The Children’s Council of Torres Vedras is not just a space for listening, but an engine for action, where play is both a right and a means of transforming the city, consolidating a real and sustainable participatory democracy.

For more information:

https://www.cm-tvedras.pt/artigos/detalhes/conselho-das-criancas (External link)

https://www.oidp.net/docs/repo/doc1681.pdf (External link)