Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Mayor Sala and councilor Tajani: "A day that expands the Administration's actions to make Milan an increasingly attentive model for reconciling quality of life and working hours in the name of the well-being of its workers"

Milan, 10 July 2019 – It was the President of the City Council, Lamberto Bertolé and the councilor for Labor Policies, Productive Activities and Human Resources Cristina Tajani who welcomed, on Wednesday 10 July to Palazzo Marino, 50 little Milanese, children of Administration employees, who for over an hour were engaged in an unusual Council session suitable for children. A special visit born on the occasion of "Children in the Office 2019", the day desired by the Administration to facilitate the reconciliation of family time with that of work and corporate well-being. Overall, around 300 children, aged between 3 and 14, were able to accompany their parents today and spend a day with them discovering their workplaces through workshops, guided tours and initiatives.

“Today – commented the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala – was a truly special day. About fifty children, daughters and sons of some of our employees, came to know the place where their parents work. They were welcomed into the most representative room, that of the City Council, where the most important decisions for the city and the Milanese are made, starting with them. Our wish is that occasions like these can be repeated and above all that it becomes increasingly easier, every day and also for those who work, to live the family in a peaceful and positive way".

“Together with the Agile Work Week – added councilor Tajani –, 'Children in the office' is a wonderful initiative that shortens the distances between work and family life, creating the right harmony between the two spheres. We have other intervention projects in mind aimed at workplace well-being. The Municipality of Milan is a company that grows day after day. And we know, successful companies invest in happiness." 

In addition to the "home of the Milanese", some participating companies (ATM, A2a, Sea, Milanosport and Milano Ristorazione) also opened their offices for a day entirely dedicated to children. A rich program of initiatives awaits them, guided tours and workshops specifically designed to facilitate, in a playful and creative way, the understanding of the work activities and functions carried out daily by mum or dad.

Among the opportunities offered to children: the Museum of the Twentieth Century, which opened its doors to the creativity and imagination of the little ones (3-6 years old) guiding them through the features and colors of the great masters of the last century thanks to the artistic laboratory " We are colour”; while at the headquarters of the Organization and Human Resources Department, in via Bergognone, readings of a classic and a contemporary of children's literature alternated: Gianni Rodari and Julia Donaldson. Some pages of "The book of whys" will be interpreted by the Roman writer and pedagogist, while "The detective dog" by the English author. Reading suggestions useful for understanding gender equality and also the richness of the Milan library system.

For the older ones (3-10 years old) there was also space for the most loved of sports, football, thanks to an exciting visit to San Siro, "La Scala of football", with its incredible museum where they can relive the great successes of Milan and Inter, as well as a photographic workshop curated by Afol metropolitan. There are also many recreational sports activities offered by Milanosport, at the Cozzi swimming pool and at the Lido sports centre, for children aged 5 to 14. 

Lovers of nature and days in the open air (children aged 4–10 years) went to discover the plants and flowers that are symbols of the ecosystems of Lombardy thanks to an interesting visit to the 'Aurelia Josz' botanical museum as well as a guided tour of the tanks and the garden of the Civic Aquarium.

Thanks to the extraordinary opening of the ATM deposits for the little Milanese, it was possible to discover the historic trolley cars as well as the modern M3 wagons. Young 'masterchefs' (6-13 years old), however, tested themselves with the secrets of catering with the "cooking laboratory", created at the Centro Cucina di Milano Ristorazione, in via Sammartini. For the children (8-10 years old) the Local Police officers opened the doors of the operations room in Piazza Beccaria, illustrating how traffic is managed in a large metropolis. Subsequently, at the Corps training school, thanks to a 3D simulator, the young Milanese were able to learn how to live their own cycling adventures in compliance with the Highway Code and in total safety for themselves and others. 

Also open was the A2a Energy House where children (10-13 years old) were confronted with the complex world of energy that moves the world: from oil to natural gas, through the production of electricity, up to appropriate use of energy sources. For the older ones (aged 10 to 14), an exciting journey through the history of aviation and the companies that made the dream of flying possible thanks to a guided tour of Volandia, organized by SEA, was proposed.