Children’s Meeting Place
Strängnäs Municipality Sweden 2004

The inauguration of the Children’s Meeting Place in Strängnäs was in conjunction with the building of a Future Vessel at Multeum (a combined culture centre with library, museum and exhibition halls).

Two mayors from Uganda joined the event – H.W. Mayor of Mukono and Busia. After the inauguration ceremony children talked together with politicians to find out a common message from the Future Vessel. All agreed the symbol of a brown and a white hand holding one another is a good symbol. An artist in Strängnäs got the assignment to make the two hands in wood. The sculpture got a very nice place in the tree – The Children’s Meeting Place. Next to the two hands is the message: If all are friends then there is no war.

The four leaders of Strängnäs Municipality promised to listen to the children and to show they are serious about this promise they handed over a ship’s bell. When children sound the bell a leader shall come!

The Municipality of Strängnäs already has a unique way of integrating children/ young people into the process of decision-making.
At the inauguration ceremony lots of banners, drawings and textiles with messages gave a colourful frame to the children’s programs, official speeches and greetings from many nations of the world.