MEXICO CITY, Mexico. KidZania Journal. December 16, 2013. (English). –The first session between Mexico City’s Legislative Assembly and the boys and girls of the KidZania Mexico CongreZZ took place on December 11 with the objective of discussing and finding a solution to different topics that are relevant to children in Mexico. The session took place in the stunning premises of Mexico City’s Legislative Assembly.

Like many other nations in the world, KidZania has its own CongreZZ comprised by boys and girls aged 7 to 12, whose responsibility is to keep the Spirit of KidZania updated and maintaining it current, as well as making sure that the adults that work for our Nation’s government listen to their opinions and proposals to solve current problems, likes and preferences of all the kids in KidZania.

Among the subjects that KidZania Mexico’s CongreZZ kids discussed with the congressmen during this first meeting was:

• Environment: the consequences of throwing garbage to the streets and around the city from a kids’ perspective. This had the intention of letting Mexico’s children express their point of views about some of the things they encounter in their daily lives.

Our CongreZZ kids showed their interest to make a difference and committed to become more responsible and aware citizens, conscious of their surroundings and, most of all, becoming change agents. Through this initiative, they were able to share their ideas and possible solutions to problems that affect and involve the entire Mexican society.

KidZania CongreZZ kids during their session.

KidZania representatives preceded the session along representatives of Mexico City’s Legislative Assembly.

KidZania CongreZZ kids taking oath at Mexico City’s Legislative Assembly

“Besides being a terrible example, we live in a city that looks ugly and stinks”, “Us as kids need to repair what adults have never taken care of”, “We learn about corruption and impunity”, “We worry about taking care of ourselves, instead of just having fun”… were some of the expressions that our CongreZZ kids shared during their participation.

Among the proposals they made were “higher fines to people that throw garbage”, “a special garbage truck for every type of garbage, or modern trucks with separate containers”, “making our city prettier to avoid helping bad guys” and “support and solidarity with all our fellow citizens”.

The session was preceded by Mexico City’s congressman Héctor Hugo Hernández Rodríguez and Hernán Barbieri, Governor of KidZania Mexico. Other invited guests were congressman Manuel Granados Covarrubias, President of Mexico City’s Legislative Assembly, and Maricruz Arrubarrena, Minister of Industry, KidZania Mexico, who took the opportunity to execute a collaborative agreement with the Coyoacán borough that will benefit Mexico City’s children by offering a special price to all schools visiting KidZania Santa Fe or KidZania Cuicuilco, as well as offering free visits to underprivileged children that live in Mexico City’s metropolitan area.

“It is a pride for Mexico to have such enthusiastic citizens, committed with Mexican society, like all of you KidZania CongreZZ kids. Mexico City’s Congress is honored to have met with the voices of Mexican childhood which you represented with dignity today”, declared Manuel Granados Covarrubias, President of Mexico City’s Legislative Assembly.

“This encounter among CongreZZ kids and Mexico City’s congressmen has been key to KidZania, it represents the beginning of a series of never-ending actions that we will do together to prepare boys and girls for a better world. We would like to ZanK all Mexico City’s congressmen for receiving us today and help us exercise the citizenship right of our CongreZZ kids. Now, with your support, we will prepare a global session with CongreZZ representatives of all KidZania cities around the world in April 2014”, said Hernán Barbieri, Governor of KidZania Mexico.

Boys and girls of KidZania’s CongreZZ raise their voice in favor of building a cleaner and safer country, where everyone has the same opportunities to live in and enjoy a proper environment that allows kids to develop and pursue their dreams.

An international KidZania CongreZZ session is currently under preparation, and it will have a representative of each of the 15 different KidZania cities around the world, in view of KidZania’s vision of “igniting the hearts and minds of kids everywhere by empowering them to make the world a better place”.