Universal Children’s Day

“We were all children once. And we all share the desire for the well-being of our children, which has always been and will continue to be the most universally cherished aspiration of humankind”. We the Children: End-decade review of the follow-up to the World Summit for Children Report of the Secretary-General (2001).

 The Fall season is one of many changes. There is the transition from warm weather to cooler weather. The leaves on the trees turn beautiful shades of red, gold, and brown before falling off their tree limbs. While we are adjusting to this change in our environment, we anticipate the celebrations and the holidays the Fall season offers. Halloween and Thanksgiving are two holidays well-known in the United States. There is another holiday in the fall that is not as well-known. It is Children’s Day and it is celebrated on various days in many places around the world, to honor children globally. It was established in 1954 when the UN Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child to protect children from working long hours in dangerous circumstances and to allow all children access to an education and in reaffirmed in 1989 when the UN Assembly signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Did you know that Children’s Day observations in the United States predate both Mother’s and Father’s Days? Children’s Day promotes understanding between and among children and draws attention to the welfare of children around the world.

Many teachers, schools, and other educational institutions make a special effort to inform children of their rights, as well as promote better relations with and among students. The Youth Advisory Councils (YAC) at each RAHS site act as the voice of the students, as well as the intermediary between students and the teachers and administrators. The Youth Advisory Councils promote healthy nutrition, exercise and physical activity, and healthy behavior and decision-making agendas to the students at their schools throughout the year. What is your YAC working on now? Interested in working with your YAC to promote a healthy agenda? Contact your RAHS clinic for more information.