Start with Children – Bratislava Summit 2024 focused on building better cities for children | MICE News

The international conference convened leaders who discussed creating child-friendly cities

Between 28 and 29 May 2024, the Slovakian capital hosted a trailblazing summit that aimed at equipping attendees with know-how about building human-centric destinations that will prioritise children. Bratislava Summit 2024: Start with Children hosted politicians, architects and decision-makers transforming urban areas into cities of the future.

The two-day gathering in the historical city centre of Bratislava helped participants become part of a movement for leaders to adopt a children’s health approach in shaping cities. The event included plenary keynotes about motivations, evidence, and inspiring success cases of designing for the needs of children and caregivers, as well as deep dives into the topics in various interactive formats, from walking and cycling tours to hands-on skills workshops, focused panel discussions, and networking.

Among illustrious speakers were Gil Penalosa, urbanist and founder of 8 80 Cities, and Ankita Chachra, architect & urban designer and director of Climate at Capita. Attendees could hear from esteemed architects who put the theory into practice, including Jan Gehl and Meghan Talarowski. Politicians shared their perspectives on building more child-friendly cities, including the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj. Joining them was also Andrew Tuck, the editor-in-chief of Monocle Magazine, one of the world’s best-sold magazines on architecture, fashion and more.

Transforming Bratislava’s urban spaces

The pioneering event, organised by the City of Bratislava and the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava, was held in Old Market Hall and Lab.cafe in Bratislava. A diverse programme unfolded across other streets and alleys of Bratislava. In the adjacent Klobučnícka and Nedbalova streets, the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava organised Playstreet, a festival promoting an active lifestyle. The Play Pavillion offered space for cultural and educational activities on the Velvet Revolution Square. Not least, attendees could join a city trip near the centre of Bratislava dubbed the City Forests of Bratislava.

The Bratislava Summit 2024 is yet another successful international event held in Bratislava. Oriented on continuously and sustainably evolving its offer and image, the Slovakian capital is becoming a preferred destination for summits and congresses alike.

Learn more about Start with Children, the Bratislava Summit 2024 here.