Child Friendly City and Municipality

In the spring of 2018, Billund Municipality took the first steps towards being recognized as a Child-Friendly City and Municipality by UNICEF Denmark. The project happened in a collaboration between Billund Municipality, the partnership Capital of Children, and the development organization CoC Playful Minds. UNICEF gives the international award to cities and municipalities that make an extraordinary effort to protect and promote children's opportunities and rights.

On September 16 2020, Billund Municipality celebrated the recognition as the first child-friendly city and municipality in Denmark. As a child-friendly city and municipality, Billund Municipality has become part of a global UNICEF network of cities and municipalities from 40 countries, which will build a particularly great framework for a good childhood.

"I have been waiting in excitement for this moment because of course, we must have child-friendly cities in Denmark, and I am simply so proud and happy on behalf of the entire UN, UNICEF, and Billund Municipality. The city has really thrown itself into doing even more for the municipality's children, so it is so deserved that a city that already has a huge focus on children and which has been the Capital of Children for almost 10 years, will be Denmark's first child-friendly city. Especially because it is not something you as a city or municipality are, but because child-friendly city and municipality is something you take with you into the future and use actively and constantly in your efforts for the municipality's children".

- Karen Hækkerup, Secretary-General of UNICEF Denmark.