Start With Children: Melissa & Chris Bruntlett

Melissa and Chris Bruntlett, authors of the book Women Changing Cities, show how women leaders are transforming cities into safer, more welcoming, and more accessible environments for children—and, by extension, for everyone else.

Using examples from cities such as Paris and Bogotá, they present concrete solutions that improve daily life in the city: school streets, protected bike lanes, traffic calming measures, and high-quality public spaces. It is precisely these measures that empower children and support their safe mobility.

The central theme of the lecture is the importance of a gender perspective in urban planning. When cities are designed with women’s experiences in mind—including caregiving, a sense of safety, and daily mobility needs—the result is more inclusive, pleasant, and better-functioning cities for all residents.

Joining the panel discussion will be Simon Battisti, who leads the NGO Qendra Marrëdhënie in Tirana, which advocates for school streets, and Petra Marko, director of the Metropolitan Institute in Bratislava, whose “City for Children” program promotes safer streets and an active childhood.

Together, they will explore how gender-sensitive and child-friendly urban policies can be translated into practical local measures.

The partners of Start with Children 2026 are the Alianz Foundation and the Karel Komárek Family Foundation.

Registration is required at the website.