By 
SCHOOLS in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area this week took part in a series of events as part of Local Democracy Week 2025.
The Mayor hosted a special event with over 200 primary school students from 13 schools across the city and district.
Councillor Ruairí McHugh, said he was delighted to be a part of such an important initiative and looked forward to meeting young people of all ages this week.
“Local Democracy Week is one of the most rewarding times in our civic calendar,” he said. “It gives young people the opportunity to see that their voices truly matter, that their opinions count and that they have real power to shape the future of the place they call home. We want to inspire a generation who are confident, informed, and actively engaged in local democracy.
“It’s particularly special this year as we just received international recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly Community last week.
“We always value hearing directly from our young people, taking their feedback on board and using their insights to strengthen how we work, ensuring that our city and district remain inclusive, positive, and responsive places for everyone in Derry and Strabane.”
Schools which attended the event included: St Catherine’s Primary School, Long Tower Primary School, St Mary’s Primary School, Strabane Controlled Primary School and St John’s Primary School.
Local Democracy Week is a Europe-wide initiative of the Council of Europe, promoting citizen participation at the local level.
