Youth to design Sharjah city via Minecraft
sharjah — A joint initiative to engage children in the design and development of the city’s public spaces has been rolled out by the Sharjah Urban Planning Council (SUPC) and Sharjah Baby-Friendly Office (SBFO).
Two workshops will be held from April 8 to 10 — one for engineers and technicians who will be trained on how to use data collection programmes, and another for children and the youth to learn site analysis methods and design techniques using the popular game ‘Minecraft’.
The initiative will be done in conjunction with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) and in partnership with the Sharjah Directorate of Public Works.
Children and the youth will also be engaged in a brainstorming session, where they will be asked to share their thoughts on how public spaces must be designed and what features these recreational spots should have.
Following the workshop, participants will be divided into groups and will be given the opportunity to work on designs for these public spaces using Minecraft.
The participants’ ideas and models will be presented to the engineers, experts and officials of government entities.
Khalid Al Ali, secretary-general of the SUPC, said: “The project falls within the SUPC’s mission and vision to engage all community members, particularly children and the youth, in Sharjah’s infrastructure development plans, so as to firmly establish the emirate’s status as a safe and inspiring environment.” He said this could be achieved by raising the public’s awareness of children’s rights and the importance of improving urban planning for the youth.
Al Ali said the council — a member of the Sharjah Child-Friendly City Steering Committee — ensures that all its projects are carried out in line with the safety and security standards for children.
“The SUPC adopts an integrated approach to strengthen its cooperation with various public and private institutions, as well as international organisations,” he added.
He also praised the UN Habitat’s use of Minecraft to promote community participation, noting that it introduces participants to the basics of modelling and design, as well as facilitates dialogue on issues related to public spaces. Such an activity results in innovative models that can be integrated into proposed project designs.
Dr Hessa Khalfan Al Ghazal, executive director of the SBFO, said: “Through this initiative and our first-time partnership with the UN Habitat, we seek to engage children in Sharjah’s development plans, leading to a more ingrained culture of respect for child rights.
“The main goal of this joint initiative is to transform Sharjah’s planned public space projects into a reality that is drawn by children and young people themselves. It also reaffirms that involving all children and the youth — and allowing them to share their thoughts on the spaces designated for them — is one of the essential rights that Sharjah is keen to provide to children in the emirate.”
Al Ghazal underlined the fact that the initiative reflects the farreaching vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and is part of the Sharjah Child-Friendly City project’s 20192021 action plan.