Bianca Blaim (today: Bianca Sorger)

For a child friendly city

„You must be patient with adults. It often takes them a while to understand something. “

The Graz Children’s Parliament was founded in 2005 on the initiative of Tatjana Kaltenbeck-Michl, then City Councillor for Children and Young People, and has since offered young people in Graz aged between 8 and 14 a platform for helping to shape city policy. Representing all children in Graz, approximately 20 members of parliament raise issues that are relevant from a child’s perspective: What should be changed in the city? How are the playgrounds designed? Where can we spray graffiti? And what is the opinion of politicians on important issues?

The first children’s mayor of Graz was Bianca Blaim (today: Bianca Sorger), who led the Children’s Parliament together with Max Bockryck during the 2005/2006 term of office. In addition to more child-friendly opening hours at Graz libraries and the expansion of the Bookmobile service at schools, the issue of particulate matter pollution was an important topic during her term in office. Together with her colleagues, Bianca Blaim worked to draw attention to urban air quality by organising a demonstration for better air, among other things. They achieved further success with the design of the Concordia playground in the Ries district and the installation of a basketball hoop in the traffic training area at Graz City Park.

In addition to the public meetings, which take place twice a month at various locations throughout the city, a central component of the Children’s Parliament’s work is direct exchange with political leaders. At a round table to which politicians dealing with the topics on the agenda are invited, the representatives of the Children’s Parliament can present their wishes and suggestions. Bianca Sorger continues her commitment to children and young people and her interest in related topics in her profession as a teacher. She teaches German, history, and social studies at the Ursulinen Gymnasium in Graz.