We were born to walk 2026

The most virtuous classes in the city have been awarded at Palazzo d'Accursio

100 classes across the city, 21 schools, 2500 students, competed in the month of March in the special competition of We Were Born to Walk, the campaign promoted by the City of Bologna, conceived and coordinated by the Antarctic Center with the collaboration of the Milan Antismog Parents, to promote sustainable mobility on the journey that takes children from home to primary school (but also first grade secondary school), as a way of rediscovering the city, promoting health, paying attention to sustainability.

The challenge is won not by those who travel the fastest, but by the class that, as a group, does it in a more sustainable way for two weeks: feet, bikes, scooters, skateboards, buses or, even better, the Pedibus. The lighter the impact of the shift on the environment and on the territory, the higher the value for the community and the higher the chances of winning.

The winning primary and secondary school classes were awarded in the City Council Hall at Palazzo d'Accursio by the School Councilor Daniele Ara and the Councilor for Mobility Michele Campaniello.

The winning primary school classes were 1C Acri (Sustainability), 4A Scandellara (Improvement) and 2C Carducci (creative competition).

As far as first grade secondary school is concerned, 3B (Sustainability), 1D (Improvement) and 2C (creative competition) received the prize, all classes belonging to the Jacopo della Quercia school.

This edition of We Were Born to Walk also focused on a specific focus: girls and boys were asked to observe the places near the school and to 'let their feelings speak'. Alongside the competition, the classes were also able to participate in the creative competition Space for Emotions, creating a text or poem that expressed precisely the emotions aroused by the spaces of the city surrounding the school and the paths to reach it. Children also need public space, to be able to explore it, to use it as an environment that helps them develop their autonomy and confidence in their abilities.
The 2500 participants also wrote their message to the Mayor through the postcards that will be exhibited in September at an exhibition on the occasion of the European Week of Sustainable Mobility.