The Fourth International Kids Utopia Symposium

The Fourth International Symposium on the Utopia of Children

Child, City, and Climate: A Future That Questions Us

The Fourth International Symposium on the Utopia of Children will be held in 1405 (2026).
This interdisciplinary event focuses on the nexus of the child, the city, and the climate, and examines the impacts of climate change on the lives, health, and future of the child generation.

The symposium is organized by the Utopia of Children Journal and Research Center, with the participation of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning of Iran University of Science and Technology, the Iranian Society of Architecture and Urban Planning, the UNESCO Chair in Social Health and Development, the Assembly of Iranian Mayors, the Center for Dialogue and Cultural and Artistic Cooperation of Silk Road Nations, and the Association of Iranian Cultural Figures, in collaboration with institutions, universities, and distinguished international scholars in the fields of architecture, urban planning, environment, education, and social sciences.

The aim of this event is to create a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and practical solutions among researchers, urban designers, policymakers, and social activists, in order to outline pathways toward the development of resilient, climate-adaptive, and child-friendly cities.

Objectives and Approach

In a world where climate crises and spatial inequalities directly affect children’s lives, this symposium seeks to address a fundamental question:
How can the city of the future protect children while simultaneously empowering them and giving them a voice?

With a scientific, cultural, and interdisciplinary approach, the symposium emphasizes knowledge production, analysis of global and local experiences, and the presentation of applied projects.

Key Themes and Suggested Topics for Papers and Projects

1. Children and Global Climate Crises
Examining the effects of climate change on children’s physical and mental health, water and food security, and local environments.
Relevant research and projects may address children’s resilience in the face of droughts, heat waves, floods, and storms, as well as supportive, educational, and psychological networks for children in crisis-prone areas.

2. Sustainable and Climate-Responsive Cities for Future Generations
Exploring the role of architecture and urban design in creating resilient, low-carbon cities responsive to children’s needs.
Papers and proposals may focus on sustainable schools, climate-resilient play spaces, clean transportation, and green urbanism. Empirical research, case studies, and urban design projects are particularly welcome.

3. Education, Culture, and Child-Centered Narratives for Climate
Research on environmental education, innovative methods of climate education for children, and the role of art, play, and storytelling in shaping environmentally responsible behavior in younger generations.
Proposed projects may include educational tools, applications, school programs, and climate-oriented cultural narratives.

4. Children’s Participation and Voice in Climate Governance
Studying global models and experiences of child-inclusive planning and exploring practical mechanisms for meaningful child participation in urban and environmental policymaking.
Papers may address innovative frameworks for amplifying children’s voices in local, urban, and climate-related decision-making. Participatory projects and social research are of particular importance in this theme.

5. Climate Justice and Children’s Right to the City
Analyzing the relationship between climate change, poverty, migration, and spatial inequalities from a children’s rights perspective.
Topics may include intergenerational justice, the right to a healthy environment, climate-supportive policies, and models of equitable urban resource redistribution. Field studies, legal analyses, and social research are encouraged.

6. Children, Industry, and a Sustainable Future
Examining the role of industries and corporations in achieving environmental justice and fulfilling social responsibility toward future generations.
Research may include child-centered CSR models, assessments of industrial impacts on children’s health, and educational programs in industrial communities. Cross-sector projects linking academia, industry, and civil society are especially valued.

Conclusion and Vision

The Fourth International Symposium on the Utopia of Children seeks to build a bridge between knowledge, design, and climate justice—
a space where academic research, social experience, and architectural solutions converge to shape a future in which:

Every child has the right to live in a healthy, safe, just, and climate-adaptive city.