These are just some visions from a plan that collected first prize in the Future City Game held on Nov. 8 in Heureka science centre, Vantaa. The winning plan called Eko-Tiksi after the nickname of Tikkurila was conceived by Ms Anna-Maija Huhtikangas, Ms Milla Dokubo, and Mr Juho Hinttula with Mr Kalle Jokinen, Head Planner for the Seitti youth alliance. All participating teams in the Heureka game were formed by volunteer members of Seitti, a hub of youth activities for several organisations representing disabled and/or kinetically challenged people.

“It was great to be hosting such a motivated and efficient bunch of youths,” said Dr Paula Havaste, Facilitator for the Heureka event. She then proceeded to present the output to Ms Kati Tyystjärvi, city councillor and Left Party group leader in Vantaa. According to Ms Tyystjärvi, every plan put forward at the game had commendable features. She was particularly impressed with the idea of changeling theme days at schools events promoting mutual understanding and empathy by making native Finns live as immigrants, or able-bodied children manoeuvre a wheelchair, for one day.

Thus some ideas put forward in a Future City Game could actually turn into reality, perhaps sooner rather than later. While a proposed extension of the environmentally friendly underground train system will still have to wait, certain other propositions are certainly within Vantaa’s resources, so long as the political will continues. Educational theme days, according to Councillor Tyystjärvi, will be next presented to Parent groups and then, possibly, a formal motion will be submitted to the City Council when it revises its educational policy.

Good ideas are important to the decision-makers, and for this a great big thank you goes to the participants, Dr Havaste summed up the event.

Please contact Kata Kreft Burman for further information about the Creative Cities project in Finland.

Kata Kreft-Burman
Projects and Partnerships Manager
Tel. +358 9 7743 3320
first.last@britishcouncil.fi