Universal Children’s Day - November 20th

Did you know on November 20, the world will celebrate children? That’s right! It is Universal Children’s Day, recognized internationally as a reminder of two historic events: the 1959 signing of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. You can check out the following link for a youth friendly format of this important document.

“There are many reasons to celebrate children, but most of all because children deserve to be recognized as important members of our community.

• All children have the right to an adequate standard of living, health care and to play.
  
• All children have the right to express their views about things that affect them and to
  participate in communities, programs and services.
  
• All children have the right to be protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation and
  discrimination.”
  
  All 3 orders of government in Canada recognize the importance of National Child Day in some way. The City of Calgary is offering many free, fun family events at various locations around the city to celebrate. You can find them on The City of Calgary’s website. Just look up National Child’s Day events!
  
  This year’s theme for National Child Day is “It’s My Right to Learn”. In Canada, every child has the right to attend school. Although some days students would rather not go, there are children in other parts of the world who desperately want to get an education. Watch this video to see just what lengths some children take to get to their schools.
  
  
  
  
  After watching this video, has your thinking changed?
  
  Maybe you will decide to more closely examine the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 
  
  
  
  
  
  Contributed by Jody Danchuk, City Hall School coordinator