Shahmarooz Summer School

The Shahmarooz Summer School in Yazd was initiated in 2021 following the observation that skills relevant to citizenship and participation were not always fostered in school. The aim of Shahmarooz was to introduce the city to the children and foster their citizenship skills and their ownership of the city.

During the two-month summer school, children became acquainted with concepts of relationship between urban areas and the environment, cultural diversity and heritage, waste reduction, sustainable development, and rights through a variety of creative methodologies, such as games, cinema, group work, painting, theatre and visits to different parts of the city. The school also fostered participants’ critical thinking, creativity, teamwork and collaboration skills.

Feedback from participants was collected at the end of each session to inform following sessions. Participants’ families joined some of the activities to offer families the opportunity to spend time together. Participation in the summer school was completely free, and accommodations were made for children with disabilities. At the end of the course, participants were awarded a certificate by the mayor, and participants appeared before the city council to present ideas for improving their city. Participants were appointed as city ambassadors for their schools and neighbourhoods, and plans are in place to introduce the programme in other cities in Iran.