National Association of Large Families (Nagycsaládosok Országos Egyesülete) awards cities with the “family-friendly city” title every year. Debrecen has won the title “family-friendly city” this year.
Debrecen first applied for the “family-friendly city” title of the National Association of Large Families this year. The non-governmental organization operates since 1987 but 2018 was the first year when Debrecen applied and received the ““family-friendly city” award.
The award proves that the elements of the “the City Care Program” of Debrecen have been awarded by the decision-makers of the non-governmental organization.
“Since 1998, a lots of family-friendly urban developments have happened in the city, and it is recognized now”, said Mrs. Diána Széles, Vice-Mayor of Debrecen.
The City Care Program provides local inhabitants not only with compulsory local government support but different types of activities that make their life easier.
In Debrecen, the mother’s milk collection station operates with the support of the local government, and Debrecen is one of the few cities that enables moms to use public transportation at a special (lower) price.
Children in need are also provided with hot food on weekends and in school breaks, and the local government ensures that children they should permanently stay in a hospital will get the support of a hospital teacher to get over any issues related to the illness.
Debrecen students are also supported in many ways. They can apply for a number of scholarships including Cívis Talent, Bursa Hungarica and Béla Békés. The local government recently created a Foundation for Gifted Youth and founded the Education Councils to coordinate further educational developments. Recently, 10 billion HUF was also invested for school and dormitory renovation within the the New Phoenix Plan. In addition a new Family and Child Welfare Centre will soon be opened.
The Pagony playground in the Great Forest has received 1.5 billion forints to transform it to an experience park for local and foreign families, and the city organizes many festivals and programs throughout the whole year to further enhance the feeling of “great living in Debrecen”.
Debrecen has also a lot to provide for the elderly, including diverse thermal treatments, hospice care.
“Debrecen is the city of education. At the moment, around 70 thousand young people live and study in Debrecen. We are proud of the award of the National Association of Large Families and our future plans is to develop Debrecen to a further family-friendly city”, said Mrs. Diána Széles, the Deputy Mayor.
Photo credit: www.debrecen.hu | Balázs Erdei