Pupils in year 5 explore eco-friendly actions at the City Administrative Building

In November, two year five classes from Vaasa had the opportunity to learn about the city’s decision-making and different ways to make an impact.

On Children’s Voice Days on 18 and 20 November, class 5A from Sundom School and 5A from Savilahti Comprehensive School visited the Administrative Building in Vaasa.

In addition to learning about the decision-making process, the children had the opportunity to contribute to the city’s Green Leaf actions.

Vaasa is a European Green Leaf City for 2026. The European Commission awards this recognition annually to cities that promote sustainable development and work actively to protect the environment and climate.

Walk or cycle to school, no littering

During their visit, the children worked in small groups on a variety of tasks, including writing a letter to Mayor Tomas Häyry, and giving their own green pledges.

Our green pledges – Savilahti Comprehensive School and Sundom School:

• I will put biowaste in a separate bin.
• I will not litter in nature.
• I will sort waste.
• Buy only things you need and not what you don’t need.
• Cycle or walk to school.
• Plant trees.
• Take shorter showers.
• Use public transport.
• No not litter in nature.
• Share a ride if you’re going to the same place.

Messages for Mayor Tomas – here’s what the children would like the city to do for nature and the climate:

• More shared electric cars.
• More parks and forests in Vähis (Vähäkyrö).
• A skate park in Vähis.
• No littering in nature.
• More rubbish bins.
• Rental bikes around the city instead of electric scooters.
• Build more playgrounds.
• More plants.
• More fish in the sea.
• More trees!

The children’s choices will be implemented next year

The children also got to vote on the types of events and activities to be organised in Vaasa during Green Leaf year 2026.

– The children’s favourites included a community garden for all residents of Vaasa and a vegan picnic. These projects will receive Eco Bonus funding, says Suvi Aho, Strategy Manager.

The Eco Bonus is a grant for associations and resident communities, allowing them to organise events, initiatives, or activities related to the theme during the Green Leaf year.

City entities in Vaasa, such as schools and daycares, can also apply for the Eco Bonus.

– Staff from Sundom and Savilahti schools had come up with their own ideas for activities next year. The children also got to vote on these, and the winning ideas were planting more trees and a recycling project / building insect hotels or birdhouses, says Aho.

Vaasa is hoping to be recognised as a Child-Friendly Municipality in January

The City of Vaasa is participating in the UNICEF Child-friendly municipality model.

Vaasa has set five concrete goals aimed at making the city more child-friendly. One of the goals is for the views of children and young people to be taken into account in the planning and development of services through engagement.

If the goals are achieved, Vaasa could receive UNICEF’s Child-Friendly Municipality recognition.  UNICEF will carry out the assessment and make the decision on the Child-Friendly Municipality recognition by the end of 2025.