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Pistoia
child-friendly
The city council (La
città educativa)
A child- friendly city must give space to the presence,
moviment and games of even the smallest children encouraging them
to explore new areas, meet new people, share experiences
The city at play
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Using street performances to restore the
streets and squares of our city the pleasure of playing or
just being together: this was the objective behind the various
events in areas of city during these years, and particularly
the multifaceted review entitled "The city at play"
which offered varoius entertainments and fun celebrations
for both children and adults.
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Special signs |
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Special signs were placed along the roads
and in the squares of the city. Using colorful writing and
symbols, the areas devoted to educational activities, or movement
and play (gardens, scholls, gyms, librarie, swimming pool)
are easily identifiable and recognizable by children who will
be able to "read" the city in a welcoming and familiar
framework.
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Children friendly
shops |
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In particular, the sign with a smiling teddy
bear as the symbol of the municipality of Pistoia, has won
the children new friends and allies.
Many traders in the centre of Pistoia have
displayed this unusual sign in their windows or out side their
shops, thus showing themselves willing to listen to and support
children's little requirements when they are in town.
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The children's
friends-the police |
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A positive immage has taken shape of the
municipal policeman as a valuable ally for children, an image
which will restore their original role as committed operatives
in affirming and developing values of community life.
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Safe routes round
the school |
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It is an activity sprung by our firm belief
that going to school alone can rapresent for children an important
opportunity to find out their freedom.
New figures, the “grandparents friends”, are present
at the time children entry and come out of the school. The
task of these elderly people is to reassure and to help children
in case of need. Thanks to the “grandparents fiends”,
to the routes drown on paviments with an easy and coloured
signal system, to the involvement to dealers near the school
and to a detailed information to families, we succeeded in
attaing new little freedoms.
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This is Ludobus,
a friend of mine |
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The ludobus can play a very important role
in a project whose aim is to advance living conditions in
urban and suburban areas. It can rapresent an irreplaceable
component in the daily life of a community being able to creat
new forms of social aggregation and animation, and, most important,
new game and learning opportunities for children and youths.
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A new friend that carries games, parties,
animations and a lot of surpries
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Children write thier name on “fiend-ludobus”
card
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Adopting the river
Brana |
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During the school year 1999-2000 the students
of the schools near the section of the river ( two primary
school and a yunior high school) partecipated to a plan of
environmental reclaim of the pedestrian route and of the open
spaces next to Brana’s banks.
The principal aims of the project were to
do an environmetal investigation, to monitor the torrent water
and to let to each school to adopt a little areas in order
to elaborate new improvement suggestions, a reclaimation and,
finally, a daily use of the adopted areas.
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"Foetto" drawned by children
This fish is called "Foetto"
because of the red mark on its belly and has been adopted
as the name of the route.
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The children considered the story and traced back to the origin
of the ancient walls, studied the point of scientific view
about flora and fauna.This research work, has been shown to
the city with 9 cartels set on the beginning of each drawn
of the torrent.
The project ended with the inauguration of the cycle path
that goes through the embankment from Bastione Tyrion to Porta
S. Marco.
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The children present the project to the Major.
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The meeting square,
an adopting project of a little square |
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After the “Safe routes around school”
project the children from the “C. Collodi” primary
school set out to conquer the unnamed square. The space near
the school was used as a car park.
The “Meeting Square” has become a welcoming,
safe and useful place.
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The plastic model of the “Meeting
Square”
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Older students (from the Agricultural Institute)
have helped make the route from the school to the square cleaner
and greener.
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At last the children have a place to meet
and play, exchange messages, and go on to school together.
During the next school year many other ideas will be put into
practice to make the square even more enjoyable and fun.
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For informations:
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