Microsoft, Minecraft Education and C40 Cities are empowering students to reimagine their cities for a greener future.
Students are the future leaders and changemakers of our society. With the majority of GHG emissions coming from cities, the participation of youth in building solutions is key to shaping a better urban future. It is vital to train the next generation of professionals on sustainable practices and to empower their creativity in designing solutions. By engaging them in a fun and meaningful project that connects them to their local communities and the global challenges they face, the hope is to inspire them to become more aware, active and creative citizens.
City planning and design must champion equity, resilience, and create conditions for everyone to thrive; Schools Reinventing Cities offers a tangible tool for young people to learn about climate action and inclusivity in city development. Equally, decision makers must incorporate the youth voice and their innovative ideas. Schools Reinventing Nederlands aims to strengthen a culture of collaboration and innovation among participating cities, schools and partners, and showcase the power of game-based learning and digital skills for education and social good.
What is Schools Reinventing Netherlands?
For the first time in the program’s history, Schools Reinventing Netherlands is going nationwide, with Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Den Bosch, Alkmaar, Almere and Hengelo all opening Schools Reinventing Cities competitions for young people. Schools Reinventing Netherlands is a unique collaboration project between Microsoft, Minecraft Education and C40 Cities, a network of nearly 100 cities united in action to confront the climate crisis and create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. The project is part of Schools Reinventing Cities, a global program that invites students in cities around the world to use Minecraft Education to create innovative solutions to climate action in their cities.What is the challenge?
Each city has selected a site that they want to redesign as part of their local climate and urban development plans. They have designed a build challenge for schools within their region to invite them to think about what this site should become in the future. How can it be more resilient, inclusive and livable? How can it contribute to the city's climate goals and the well-being of its citizens?
The challenge is to use Minecraft Education, a game-based and blocky learning platform that promotes creativity, collaboration and problem-solving, to create a digital 3D visualization of their ideas and present their vision for its transformation. Students will have access to a custom-made Minecraft Education world that replicates the site and its surroundings, as well as a variety of resources and tools to help them with their design process.
The project launches on the 19th of February. Schools can find more information about the challenge and how to participate on the Schools Reinventing Netherlands website hosted by C40 Cities and Minecraft Education, where they will also find more information about the project, the cities, the sites and the criteria for the challenge. Specific deadlines will differ per participating city, but most schools will have until the end of May to submit their entries, and the winners will be announced in June. The winning teams will have the chance to present their ideas to their city leaders and receive recognition and prizes for their work.
Even if your city is not among the cities that are officially taking part in the challenge, you can still join the project and share your ideas. A blank canvas site in the Minecraft Education world was created so that any teacher, student or administrator can design their own vision for a sustainable and resilient urban space in your city. Once they have completed your design, students can share it on social media using the hashtag #ReinventNL and tag their city leaders to show them their awesome ideas. Using this hashtag, students can also see what other students from around the country have created and get inspired by their solutions. By participating in this way, everyone can still be part of the national movement of young people who are reinventing the future of cities across the Netherlands.
Questions?
If you have a question or would like more details on the Reinventing Cities competition, please use the form below. You will receive a response via email.
