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What does this holiday celebrate?
"Firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children." "It was also chosen as the day to celebrate childhood."
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Origin of this Holiday
Children's Day was first celebrated worldwide in October 1953, under the sponsorship of International Union for Child Welfare in Geneva. The idea of a Universal Children's Day was mooted by V. K. Krishna Menon and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1954.
Universal Children's Day takes place on November 20 annually. First proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1954, it was established to encourage all countries to institute a day, firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children. It was also chosen as the day to celebrate childhood.
November 20 is also the anniversary of the day when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959. The Convention on the Rights of the Child was then signed on the same day in 1989, which has since been ratified by 191 states.
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Observance of Children's Day around the world
- Argentina: Children's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of August and it's known as Día del Niño.
- Australia: Australia celebrates Children's Day on the 1st Sunday in July every year. Children's Day is a registered trade mark. Universal Children's Day is celebrated on November 20th, and is not associated with Children's Day. This marks the day that Australia adopted this custom. Children's Day is not celebrated in a widespread manner in Australia.
- Canada: Canada's "National Child Day" is held on November 20th each year as enacted in Bill C-371, otherwise known as the Child Day Act, by the Parliament of Canada in 1993 to fulfill Canada's commitment to the United Nations General Assembly's recommendation to observe a Universal Children's Day.Canadian Children's Rights Council It is not a holiday in Canada.
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United States of America , Childrens Day fun facts:
- Children’s Day observations in the United States predate both Mother’s and Father’s Day.
- The celebration of a special Children’s Day in America dates from the 1860s and earlier.
- In 1856, Rev. Charles H. Leonard, D.D., then pastor of the First Universalist Church of Chelsea, Mass., set apart a Sunday for the dedication of children to the Christian life, and for the re-dedication of parents and guardians to bringing-up their children in Christian nurture. This service was first observed the second Sunday in June.
- The Universalist Convention at Baltimore in September, 1867, passed a resolution commending churches to set apart one Sunday in each year as Children’s Day.
- The Methodist Episcopal Church at the Methodist Conference of 1868 recommended that second Sunday in June be annually observed as Children’s Day.
- The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1883 designated the “the second Sabbath in June as Children’s Day.”
- Also in 1883, the National Council of Congregational Churches and nearly all the state bodies of that denomination in the United States passed resolutions commending the observance of the day. About this time many other denominations adopted similar recommendations.
- Chase’s Calendar of Events cites Children’s Sunday and notes that The Commonwealth of Massachusetts issues an annual proclamation for the second Sunday in June.
- Numerous churches and denominations currently observe the second Sunday in June including the African Methodist Episcopal Church[6] and the Church of the Nazarene.
- Children's Day, was proclaimed by President Bill Clinton in October 2000. He declared that it be held on October 8th.
- "National Child's Day" was proclaimed by the President of the United States of America, George W. Bush, as June 3, 2001 and in subsequent years on dates in early June. In 2003, he proclaimed June 1. In 2004, he proclaimed June 6th. In 2005, he proclaimed June 5th. In 2006, he proclaimed June 4th. In 2007, he proclaimed June 3rd. The White House Proclamation by the President of the United States of America, 2001
- Nowhere in any of the proclamations did the President refer to the United Nations or the UN Resolution about Universal Child Day. It is important to note that The United States of America is one of only two countries in the world that have not ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. As of November 2007, 193 countries have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, (UNCRC). The only other country that has not ratified the UNCRC is Somalia. United States position on the UNCRC
- In 2007, Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich issued a proclamation proclaiming the second Sunday in June as Children's Day. The mayors of Aurora and Batavia, Illinois, also issued proclamations.
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What type of holiday is this?
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How can I Celebrate this holiday?
- It's Party Time! - Every Holiday deserves a party right?! So get ready for your next party by shopping for the lastest supplies to make your holday a real hit. You'll find fun stuff for children and adults.
- Send Free Internet Invitations! - If your ready to get together with your friends don't forget to invite them by email with these fun Internet Invitations. They are always fun & FREE!
- Blog with us about it! - We have a blog called "Everyday is a Holiday" so visit our pages and talk with us about this holiday and how you celebrated it. We would love to know.
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We found this holiday on ECard Greeting Sites
Hey, it's Universal Children's Day! The right time to wish the little ones who spread fun and laughter in our lives. It's also the time to ensure a safer and better world for them. So wish them a fun-filled day with our cute and sweet ecards.
