Dr .Christoph Baker, Director of the Child Friendly Cities programme for UNICEF in Italy has just completed a 7 day visit to New Zealand, hosted by UNICEF New Zealand, where he took part in 17 separate engagements.

He spoke about the Child Friendly Cities programme in Italy and other parts of Europe to people in Wellington, Christchurch and Manukau City.

He was keynote speaker for the Community Boards Conference in Christchurch and impressed on participants the vital importance of local authority processes being inclusive of children’s opinions to achieve results that foster active citizenship and to adopt practices that are sustainable and make cities safe and inviting for children.

Read a Dominion Post story about Dr. Baker’s visit

View a powerpoint of his keynote address







All images (C) UNICEF 2008

Top left: Dr. Christoph Baker with Dr. Cindy Kiro (Children's Commissioner)
Top right: Dr. Christoph Baker with students from James Cook High, Manurewa

Middle left: Dr. Christoph Baker with staff from Manukau City Council
Middle right: Dr. Christoph Baker with staff from Wellington City Council

Bottom: Dr. Christoph Baker with kids at Manurewa Marae

More information
NZ Community Boards and Councils that would like to learn more about the Child Friendly Cities Initiative may contact UNICEF’s domestic advocacy manager, Barbara Lambourn, ph: 04-815-9388 or Email

www.childfriendlycities.org