The State of Oaxaca in the Pensil Neighborhood

For some years now, the ‘Luis Castillo Ledón’ elementary school, located in the Pensil neighborhood in Mexico City, makes a festival for Mother’s Day with the Guelaguetza (annual indigenous cultural event in the State of Oaxaca) as main theme.

The celebration, which extracts the idea of ​​cooperation that comes from the Zapotec (pre-Hispanic civilization located in Oaxaca) word ‘guendalizaa’ , consist of a parade through the streets of the Pensil similar to La Calenda, which are group  walkthroughs around the streets of the community that serve as an invitation to town festival.

This mix of activities has as objectives increasing the knowledge of the traditions and customs of the State of Oaxaca among the kids of the Pensil, and celebrating the mothers of the neighborhood, making them proud of seeing their children participate in this activity.

The Guelaguetza is celebrated the last two weeks of the month of July, in the state of Oaxaca, and corresponds to the popular festivities in honor of the Virgin of Carmen, but which origin is different from what is commonly thought, far to the Catholic religion and close to the pre-Hispanic culture.

Of Zapotec origin, prior to the arrival of the Spanish, the reason for this celebration was the goddess of corn Centéotl. Beyond the celebration and the folklore it entails, the word Guelaguetza has an exceptional meaning: it refers to mutual cooperation, to the support of one another.

The Historic Center of Mexico City Foundation emerges as an essential complement to support the economic and social renaissance of the area. Its work has achieved significant accomplishments thanks to the constant work with the community and the inter-institutional linkage.

The establishment of strategic alliances and collaboration programs with public and private institutions such as Carlos Slim Foundation, TELMEX Foundation, UNAM and the University of the Cloister of Sor Juana, among others, has been fundamental for these achievements.

The Historical Center Foundation of Mexico City considers that social, material and economic well-being is directly related to the human context in which it manifests. To achieve this well-being, it has Cultural, Social, Economic and Community development as lines of action.

Currently, we are working in two strategic areas: the Historical Center of Mexico City and a group of neighborhoods called Las Pensiles, in the Miguel Hidalgo Delegation.