Houston scored a major win for its young residents when the city officially added “child friendly” to its resume in August 2023, becoming the first in the nation to snag this title from UNICEF USA (United Nations Children’s Fund). And Houstonians will be able to enjoy a showcase of the partnership starting in March through an immersive experience at Post Houston called Heart Strings.

The humanitarian organization’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI), which has been operating globally since 1996, focuses on empowering young people and addressing the unique needs of vulnerable children within urban communities. This prestigious designation not only recognizes Houston’s commitment to the well-being of its adolescents but also highlights the city’s proactive efforts in creating an environment where the voices of the young are not just heard but valued and translated into action.

Houston’s journey to becoming the first child-friendly city in the US wasn’t a walk in the park. UNICEF USA first created a relationship with the City of Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, during which a partnership was launched with the goal of centering children in disaster planning, including counseling services to help those affected deal with the situation. This laid the foundation for the future connection with CFCI.

In 2019, when considering American cities for the CFCI, UNICEF USA reached out to the City of Houston. Local officials created a comprehensive action plan for the bid, a roadmap that outlined a commitment to improving the lives of young residents. The proposal focused on three main aspects—youth participation, mental health, and emergency preparedness—and provided strategies for addressing each one. These included steps the city has already taken as well as plans for the future, such as hosting youth mental health first aid workshops, developing a Children’s Outdoor Bill Of Rights, having ongoing collaborative meetings with youth leaders, forming internship programs for the CFCI, creating a youth ambassador program, promoting its Hire Houston Youth job board, and much more.

Michael Nyenhuis, the president and CEO of UNICEF USA, says Houston’s proactive approach sets a precedent for other cities to follow. “There are so many really wonderful and active child-focused agencies in the Houston area: nonprofit organizations, as well as the government agencies,” Nyenhuis says. “We got to know a number of local organizations and felt strongly about the quality of the work. We could see the desire to make Houston a child-friendly city.”

As Houston basks in this recognition, it’s embarking on another significant chapter in its commitment to the well-being of children. The city is hosting an interactive and immersive exhibit curated by UNICEF USA that will bring the global challenges faced by the young to the forefront.

Heart Strings, the organization’s multicity exhibit, kicks off in Houston and will run from March 21 to April 7. The event represents a collaborative effort to connect communities with the realities of kids worldwide. The immersive display will be carried out across eight zones in Post Houston, each dedicated to highlighting core pillars crucial for the success and future of the world’s youth.

“The first part of the exhibit talks about birth to a few years old, and what it’s like being a child, because we’re trying to connect you to the things that are important for children those first 1,000 days of their lives,” Nyenhuis says, adding that some other sections in the show explore themes such as education and the importance of being heard.

The exhibit’s interactive elements will engage visitors through lights and sounds that respond dynamically to people speaking, intertwining their voices with those of kids around the world. Jamie Reilly, the general manager of Moment Factory, the display’s production company, says attendees will also be able to use their voices to create a song that will be integrated into the show.

“We’re using a lot of interactive technologies, might it be through a voice or touch, so that people feel like they are influencing the experience to demonstrate how powerful the actions of one single human can be in the overall mission of UNICEF,” Reilly says.

Houston is only the first stop in the multicity tour. Other locations include Boston, Atlanta, and Chicago, with more places still to be announced. Reilly says that although the exhibit will move through different sites, the displays will remain largely the same. “The core of the experience is about UNICEF and key stories of the children who do live better lives in different factions of the world,” she says.