Children and Seniors in Public Transport – Opening Speech
Read my Children and Seniors in Public Transport – Opening Speech, which I gave at the conference of Centre for European Union Transport Projects.
Why this topic matters
I am truly delighted that we are discussing children today. I am also glad that this conference is dedicated to them and takes place under the patronage of the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, the Ombudsman for Children, and the Minister for Senior Policy. In addition, it makes me happy that among the partners there is an organisation focused on children in urban space — the one I represent.
Importantly, people working with children increasingly join city dialogues as equal partners. We speak more often about the needs of children, seniors, women and people with disabilities. A few years ago, when I started researching urban independence of children, this approach was far less common. Today, it is slowly becoming a standard.
Lessons from Bratislava
While preparing for this speech, I thought about the “Start with Children” conference in Bratislava, which I attended two weeks earlier.
It was organised by the Mayor of Bratislava and the Metropolitan Institute, and I hope it will set new standards for how we think about cities.
The event lasted two days and focused entirely on child-friendly cities. Among the speakers were mayors and city leaders from Bratislava, Reykjavik, Tirana, Warsaw and Gdańsk.
Experts included:
- Jan Gehl — a legend of urban planning
- Gil Penalosa — founder of the 8–80 concept
- Maria Vassilakou — former Deputy Mayor of Vienna
- Thomas George (UNICEF) — urban policy lead
All of them asked one simple question: What kind of city allows children to feel good when living in it? it.
Children as indicators of city health
Speakers repeated that a city designed for children and seniors is good for everyone.
Unfortunately, most cities were created for strong, able-bodied adults aged 20–60.
A powerful sentence returned many times: Children are an indicator of urban health.
If children are present on the streets, it means space works well.
If we don’t see children, seniors or people with disabilities, it does not mean they are not there — only that space was not designed for them.
Gil Penalosa summed it up with the 8–80 rule: A good city works for both an eight-year-old and an eighty-year-old.
Safety, presence and community
Another strong message came from the Mayor of Tirana. He said there is no better CCTV than grandparents watching children play. It echoed Jane Jacobs’ idea of “eyes on the street”. Presence builds safety.
I also remembered a Brazilian official speaking not about smart cities — but about love.
He shared a story about transforming a dangerous neighbourhood together with children.
When children returned to play outside, adults followed. Crime dropped. Community came back.
Where many eyes are present, crime becomes harder.
Schools as community hearts
Many speakers pointed out — similar to the 15-minute city concept — that schools should be neighbourhood anchors.
When I was young, I could play on the school yard freely. It felt safe. Today, despite better infrastructure, school grounds are often locked. Even during the school day, space remains limited and parking dominates the area.
Perspective shift — literally
Several speakers admitted they noticed children’s needs only after becoming parents or grandparents.
Then they realised how different children move, see and experience space.
This is why I encourage everyone to change perspective. During my workshops for adults, I let participants experience space from a child’s height. Suddenly, smells, views and sounds change completely.
Children’s stories resonate with us because every one of us once was a child. In my presentations, I show photos taken by children. Adults immediately recall moments when:
- they couldn’t reach a bus button,
- the shop counter was too high,
- crowd gave them only the view of adult backs.
These memories open the path to understanding why inclusivity matters. Urban space must work for all users, not only the strongest adults.
Apart from giving opening speech for Children and Seniors in Public Transport, I also hosted a panel discussion and cityforchildren.pl was a partner of the conference.
