Speech from the “Designed Humanely” gala
It all started eight years ago with my daughter, when I decided to find out why she didn’t want to go to school on her own. We examined the city’s infrastructure — we walked, took trams, buses, and rode bikes. We talked, and she took photos of what she saw from her own height.
What I saw from her perspective was deeply moving — because it turned out that the greatest threat to a child’s sense of safety is us, the adults.
Later, I continued this research with other children. I began sharing what I had discovered with adults at conferences, writing articles, and running empowering workshops for children and awareness-raising ones for adults. This year, I finally published my children’s book “The City Game: A Guide for Young Explorers.” I’m curious to see where this project will take me next.
At some point, my daughter told me that she didn’t want to go to school alone because there would be no one to kiss her goodbye in the cloakroom. So, I kept walking her there.
Once, I used to accompany her — today she’s 16, and she’s the one accompanying me at this gala. And I’m filled with gratitude and pride.
This award — and her presence here — remind me that the most meaningful projects are born out of love and attentiveness to others, because those two always go hand in hand.
Thank you.
Photo: Dawid Żuchowicz / Agencja Wyborcza.pl
The cityforchildren.pl project won the “Designed Humanely: Happy Neighborhoods” competition in the “Initiative – Action” category, receiving the Readers’ Choice Award. The competition was co-organized by Wyborcza.pl and Otodom.
