Flag the City
Symbol and Flag Making Workshop
at Frihamnsdagarna 2024
at Frihamnsdagarna 2024
Introduction
In August 2024, Kotte held a workshop for children aged 6-18 during Frihamnsdagarna with the theme Be the Change. The goal of the workshop was to amplify children's voices and ideas, with the hope that giving children agency, ensures that they will be equipped with the tools to make decisions and strive to have their voices heard when it matters.
The objective of the workshop was to understand what children love about Gothenburg or what changes they'd like to see. We did this through a flag-making activity
Workshop Overview
To start, we did some ice-breaker activities to help everyone feel comfortable and to introduce the idea of symbols.
Workshop Steps
1. Favorite Food Drawing
Participants had 10 seconds to draw their favorite food. We used this to explain the concept of symbols—simple drawings that represent bigger ideas.
Participants had 10 seconds to draw their favorite food. We used this to explain the concept of symbols—simple drawings that represent bigger ideas.
2. Symbol Examples
We showed existing symbols and discussed their meanings.
We showed existing symbols and discussed their meanings.
3. Friend’s Characteristics
Participants then drew symbols representing their best friend’s qualities.
Participants then drew symbols representing their best friend’s qualities.
4. Flag Making
Finally, we asked them to think about what Gothenburg should be known for and create a flag using recycled fabrics.
Finally, we asked them to think about what Gothenburg should be known for and create a flag using recycled fabrics.
Review
People of all ages joined the workshop, our youngest participant was a 2 year old. The discussions were insightful. Common themes included safety, playgrounds, and nature. Unique ideas focused on making the city more bike-friendly, increasing access to the sea, investing in youth, and making museums more accessible—aligning with Kotte’s goals.
We also had Kotte members draw portraits of participants as a form of documentation. These portraits were displayed and attracted many young people. We noticed that many youth wanted to be seen and heard, which led us to think about their sense of identity and how they want to be perceived.
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