-
Topics
TopicsOur programs create spaces where open-minded leaders can gather for breakthrough conversations on pressing global issues – each aligned to one of the following pillars:
-
Events
EventsExplore the variety of events Salzburg Global hosts within Austria and in the rest of the world. Learn more about our programs and what else happens at Schloss Leopoldskron.Upcoming EventsFeb 05 - Feb 07, 2026Peace & JusticeDisruption and Renewal: Charting the Future of the International Rule of Law, Democracy, and PluralismSalzburg Cutler Fellows Law ProgramApr 13 - Apr 18, 2026CultureCreating Futures: Rethinking Cultural Institutions, Infrastructure, and InvestmentCulture, Arts and Society
- Insights
-
Fellowship
FellowshipSince 1947, more than 40,000 people from over 170 countries have participated in Salzburg Global's sessions. Collectively, these alumni are known as Salzburg Global Fellows.
-
About Us
About UsSalzburg Global is an independent, non-profit organization committed to creating spaces that overcome barriers and open up a world of better possibilities.Our Approach
-
Support Us
Support UsYour generosity helps us gather open-minded leaders for breakthrough conversations, while creating space for dialogue that overcomes barriers and opens up a world of better possibilities.
- Donate
- Date
- Mar 06 - Mar 10, 2018
- Session no.
- Session 608
- Program
- Parks for the Planet Forum
Share
Health
Parks for the Planet - Nature and Childhood: From Research and Activism to Policies for Global Change
In 2018, the Parks for the Planet Forum focused on Nature and Childhood: From Research and Activism to Policies for Global Change. Around the world, access to nature and green space for children growing up in urban environments is increasingly becoming an issue of equity and social justice. If children grow up without a sense of the importance and wonder of nature, they will not fight for it in the future. If children cannot play outdoors and in safety, their physical and mental health will suffer, affecting their life chances at school and beyond.
There is compelling evidence on the many benefits that access to nature and outdoor play bring to children and the wider communities in which they live. These include better learning outcomes, improved health and well-being, and the development of a broad range of social and emotional skills. Return on such investments is much higher if begun in early childhood. However, governments around the world still over-invest in corrective policies for older children, and under-invest in ongoing early years’ initiatives.
The 2018 meeting built on recommendations from the Forum’s 2017 meeting on The Child in the City: Health, Parks and Play and focused on four targeted interventions:
- Play as a Lever for Economic and Social Resilience: Embed nature in everyday places used by children (schools, backyards, parks, playgrounds, streets) to make the city into a natural outdoor classroom.
- Designing Parks for Community Well-Being: Involve children in designing and planning green spaces for recreation, education, inspiration and health, to give them ownership and pride in their communities, schools and parks.
- Influencing the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders: Build curiosity and care for nature by greening school grounds and involving children with community gardens.
- Establishing Cross-Sectoral Partnerships: Build cross-sectoral and multi-level partnerships for an inclusive culture of health in cities.
Date
Mar 06 - Mar 10, 2018
Session no.
Session 608
Share
Facebook Live - Policies that Promote Nature Access for All
During this program, we hosted a panel discussion about creating equitable nature access for children in cities across the world. This event was presented in partnership with the Children & Nature Network and National League of Cities who collaborate on the U.S.-based initiative called Cities Connecting Children to Nature. This initiative provides city leaders with technical assistance, training and peer learning opportunities to increase equitable access to nature so that children, families and communities can thrive.
Following the panel discussion, a Q&A with questions from the online audience and the Fellows of the 2018 Parks for the Planet Forum took place.
Panelists
Dima Boulad, Designer and Co-Founder, Beirut Green Project
Karen Keenleyside Vice Chair for People and Parks, IUCN WCPA
Margaret Lamar, Vice-President Strategic Initiatives, Children & Nature Network
Priya Cook, Principal Associate, Connecting Children to Nature, National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education & Families
Moderator: Clare Shine Vice President and Chief Program Officer, Salzburg Global Seminar
Watch the discussion, "Policies that Promote Equitable Nature for All" here.
Resources
ARTICLES
Metrics Toolkit, By Cities Connecting Children to Nature, National League of Cities
Municipal Action Guide, By Cities Connecting Children to Nature, National League of Cities
How a City in Spain Got Rid of Its Cars, By Ignacio Amigo, Citiscope
If You Want Your Children to Get a Job, Let Them Play More, By Jenny Anderson, World Economic Forum
Want Your Child to be the Next Einstein? Just Print Off Childhood Toys, By Henry Bodkin, The Telegraph
Places that Make Us: Research Report, By National Trust, National Trust
Bristol Organization Shows Why Playtime is as Important as Class Time, By Neil Coleman, Outdoor Play and Learning
Want to Future-Proof Your City? Design for its Youngest Residents, By Anoush Darabi, Apolitical
Portland Pushes Crime out of Park by Bringing in Women and Children, By Jennifer Guay, Apolitical
Children ‘Need to Play More to Gain Work Skills’, By Katie Hope, BBC
The Field Guide to Human-Centred Design, By IDEO.org
Exercise is More Precious than Ever. So Let’s Stop Scaring Kids Off PE, By Anna Kessel, The Guardian
In Praise of Sports Day, By Anna Kessel, The Guardian
Why Has Women’s Fitness Become a Beauty Contest?, By Anna Kessel, The Guardian
What would the Ultimate Child-Friendly City look like?, By Laura Laker, The Guardian
The Nature Playbook: Take Action to Connect a new Generation of Canadians with Nature, By Parks Canada, Government of Canada
Quality Standards for Early Childhood Services: Examples from South and South East Asia, By Sandipan Paul, EARLY CHILDHOOD MATTERS, VOL 126
Multisolving at the Intersection of Health and Climate: Lessons from Success Stories, By Dr. Elizabeth Swain, Stephanie McCauley, Shanna Edberg, Dr. Grace Mwaura, and María José Gutiérrez, CLIMATE INTERACTIVE
Message for Ireland from the Front Line of Climate Change, By Sylvia Thompson,The Irish Times
Watch Toddlers Take on City Streets in New Film Series, By Allssa Walker, Curbed
WEBSITES
A Global Movement to Inspire Love of Nature, #NatureForAll
Toolkits and Other Resources, #NatureForAll
Cities Connecting Children to Nature Resource Hub, Children & Nature Network
Green Schoolyards Resource Hub, Children & Nature Network
Nature Can Improve Academic Outcomes, Children & Nature Network, Infographic
Nature Can Improve Health and Wellbeing, Children & Nature Network, Infographic
Research Library, Children & Nature Network
Education Project (A media center's Proposal for New Educational Environments "Kogogaru Park")
World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Korogaru Pavilion, Japan Media Arts Festival Archive
VIDEOS
VIDEO: Wildlife Clubs of Kenya, By Margaret Otieno, INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE: THE PROGRAM ON AFRICAN PROTECTED AREAS & CONSERVATION (UICN-PAPACO)
VIDEO:The Burning Question, By Alan Whelan, Emmet Sheerin, and Eoghan Rice, TROCAIRE; VIMEO
VIDEO: あそびが解き放つ、はじまりの創造力 [Summary of Korogaru Series], By Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media; VIMEO
Session Format
The highly interactive program was structured around an inspiring mix of presentations, cross sector panel discussions, curated conversations, and small group work. The process seeked to combine theory, policy and practice across sectoral silos, opening up new perspectives and intensive learning opportunities.
Participants explored cross-cutting questions during plenary sessions featuring presentations and discussions led by groundbreaking practitioners. They also worked intensively in smaller focus groups that met several times over the course of the program to focus on specific themes and assignments in greater depth.
Key Questions
- What do successful child-centered urban policies look like around the world?
- How can the private sector and urban developers be effectively engaged in this agenda?
- How can nature and outdoor learning be better integrated into time spent in pre-school and school?
- What works to build and sustain genuine multi-stakeholder engagement?
- How can we better communicate to policy makers the case for investing in comprehensive strategies for children, nature and play?
Multi-year Series
PARKS FOR THE PLANET FORUM
Salzburg Global Seminar’s annual meeting of the Parks for the Planet Forum explores critical intersections between nature and human development, with a particular focus on the impacts of urbanization and reduced access to nature on health and well-being – especially for the next generation.
The Forum is a flagship ten-year program launched in 2015 with IUCN-International Union for Conservation of Nature and an expanding partner coalition. It aims to connect the 2014 and 2024 World Parks Congresses and advance interdisciplinary collaboration to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Forum supports cross-sector conservation strategies as critical investments for human health and well-being, climate resilience, nature-based solutions and social and economic innovation. We seek to build a core group of ambassadors and champions from key cities and governments, the private sector, finance and media to accelerate transformative leadership and action across the world.
Background
The Parks for the Planet Forum is a collaborative platform convened by Salzburg Global Seminar to position nature at the heart of human health and well-being, security and prosperity. Embedded in the IUCN Global Protected Areas Programme, the Forum advances action, investment and leadership to implement The Promise of Sydney and the Sustainable Development Goals. It combines high-level meetings on selected topics with an evolving multi-year work program that connects pioneering approaches across sectors and scales. Key topics addressed to date include:
- 2015: Nature, Health and a New Urban Generation
- 2016: Transboundary Cooperation for Biodiversity and Peace
- 2017: The Child in the City: Health, Parks and Play
The Promise of Sydney is a ten-year road map adopted by 6000 participants from 160 countries at the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014. Affirming that “nature is the ultimate foundation of life, our economy and our aspirations, and underpins our human existence, cultural identity, health and prosperity,” it positions protected and conserved areas, including transboundary protected areas, as critical investments for planetary resilience and human well-being. The promise is implemented through twelve innovative approaches to transformative change, supported by open-access Solutions and Promises from different stakeholders.
Session Photos
View full set on Flickr
All images are available for download. Please credit Salzburg Global Seminar/Sandra Birklbauer or Sean Southey. Check each photo for correct credit to use. Unwatermarked images are available on request.
Newsletters
IUCN Health & Wellbeing Working Group
The IUCN WCPA Health and Well-being Specialist Group promotes the health and well-being benefits of nature across the conservation, health and other sectors. For more information click here
Series Partner
Partners
