Send us your abstracts for Child in the City 2024

The countdown is already on for the Child in the City Seminar – and what an opportunity it is for you, the child professionals, to share the great work you are doing.

There are still a few weeks left until the closing date for abstract submissions for our event in Rotterdam this December, so now is the time to start thinking about sending us your proposals.

Global research indicates a serious decrease in children’s physical activity, including outdoor play. At the same time, we are also seeing young people’s screen time only increasing.

There is a growing body of evidence which shows that a lack of physical activity can, and is having, a significant impact on young people’s health, and this is illustrated by rising figures of obesity, decreased motor skills, mental problems, isolation, and loneliness.

And it’s these negative trends that demand leadership from (non)governmental organisations right across the professional scale, and therefore, if we – as a society – are truly committed to increasing opportunities for children to take part in everyday physical activities, it is essential that we ensure the collaboration of professionals from different disciplines.

From 3-4 December, the Dutch city of Rotterdam will host Keep on Moving, our title for the Child in the City Seminar 2024. For this year’s theme, the clue is right there in the title – it’s all about exploring opportunities around getting young people moving, and the associated themes which govern the possibilities.

There will be a focus on three specific topics:

1. Inclusive Spaces and Initiatives for Play and Sports
2. Children’s Mobility
3. Climate Change and Climate Justice

1. Inclusive Spaces and Initiatives for Play and Sports

Children need attractive spaces to play and engage in sports, meet other children, and hang around. This starts with outdoor spaces near the home, such as sidewalks and backyards, but doesn’t stop there. Playgrounds, parks, sporting fields, and school yards also add significantly to growing up healthy and happy. How can both urban planning and bottom-up community initiatives contribute to the development of more inclusive public spaces? In this Rotterdam seminar, we will pay particular attention to inclusiveness in terms of age, class, gender, and capability.

2. Children’s Mobility

Children’s everyday mobility is a form of physical activity that has unfortunately decreased over the years, with motorised traffic being the main objection. Independent mobility to school, friends, and playgrounds is essential to keep children physically active. The built environment has an important role in stimulating everyday mobility. In some European countries, legislation is such that children are not allowed to travel to school on their own. How do we change that situation? What workable solutions can we detect from research and good practices that engage both traffic specialists, child professionals, and schools?

3. Climate Change and Climate Justice

Climate change has posed a great challenge to cities. What does a child-friendly city look like in times of heat and flood? Within many child-friendly city initiatives, the emphasis is on accessible outdoor play, but what if the outdoors is not a livable place anymore? What alternatives do we have to promote physical activity when the city has become a heat island? How can we build on the greening of squares, school yards, and educational spaces as a method for mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change in urban environments?

And how can we reach out with nature-based solutions to promote active lifestyles not only in the prosperous parts of the city but also in the poorest neighbourhoods?

So now you have all the information you need, why not come to Rotterdam and share your work with your peers? Our call for abstracts is open until midnight on September 1, so you still have almost a month to get your submissions into us.

Click here for information about how to submit your abstract, and here for more information about the seminar in general. Child in the City Seminar 2024 is organised by Child in the City and ProMedia Group.

You can also follow our social media updates on X @Childinthecity1 and under the hashtag #childinthecityrotterdam24

We look forward to welcoming you to Rotterdam in December!