Children's Day

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Children's Day is a holiday in many countries around the world. International Children's Day (usually June 1) originated in Turkey and became especially popular in Communist countries. Universal Children's Day originated in the United Nations.

The International Children's Day (ICD) is celebrated in numerous countries, usually (but not always) on June 1 each year.

The ICD had its origin in Turkey in 1920 (April 23 1920) and later in the World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva, Switzerland in 1925. It is not clear as to why June 1 was chosen as the ICD: one theory has it that the Chinese consul-general in San Francisco (USA) gathered a number of Chinese orphans to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in 1925, which happened to be on June 1 that year, and also coincided with the conference in Geneva.

June 1 has since been observed as the ICD by numerous countries, especially by Communist countries; in the Western world the ICD is usually celebrated on other days of the year (if at all), and there is often little public awareness about these celebrations. (See the section on Germany below for further discussions.) Consequently there is sometimes a misperception that June 1 as the ICD was a Communist invention. Nonetheless, in recent years even some groups within the United States started observing the ICD on June 1.

The United Nations General Assembly recommended in 1954 (resolution 836(IX)) that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children and of activity promoting the welfare of the world's children. It suggested to governments that the Day be observed on the date which each considers appropriate.

The date of 20 November marks the day in which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989 and is often the day chosen by countries as their own designated day to observe Universal Children's Day.

State governments are responsible for passing legislation providing a day and name appropriate for their compliance with the United Nations General Assembly resolution. United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights / UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

Australia celebrates "Children's Day" on the fourth Wednesday of October. In 2008, it falls on the 22nd of October. It is part of a week long celebration of "Children's Week". Although a large majority of the population know that it is children's week there are very few celebrations and gifts are rarely given out

Children's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of August.

Children's Day is celebrated on October 12, which is also the day of Our Lady of Aparecida, a public holiday in Brazil.

In Bangladesh, Children's Day hasn't been celebrated in a manner that may let know the community know about the importance of Child Rights. However on November 20 YCM(Youth Change Makers) plans to inform people of Children Day by holding huge children competitions and fashion show. Though it wont be considered as a holiday.

Canada's "National Child Day" is held 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.

On Congo, Congo DR, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Chad, Central African Republic, São Tomé and Príncipe Children's Day is celebrated in this country on the December 25 to honour all the children.

Children's Day is celebrated the first Sunday of August.

In Colombia Children's Day is celebrated in the last weekend of April.

Children's day is celebrated on September 9 in Costa Rica.

Children's day is celebrated in Cuba on the third Sunday of July.

The International Children's Day is celebrated on June 1.

In El Salvador, Children's Day is celebrated on October 1.

In Russia, as well as other former Soviet Union states, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, other former or current communist states, Albania, Angola, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Germany, Laos, Republic of Macedonia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Tanzania, Yemen, Children's Day is celebrated on June 1. This list includes 25 countries which regained independence from USSR, seceded from Yugoslavia Federation, as well as Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia after their respective splits.

During the Cold War, the Children's Day (Kindertag) was handled quite differently in the two states. The date was different (GDR: June 1, FRG: September 20), the name was slightly different (GDR: "International Children's Day" ("Internationaler Kindertag"), FRG: "World Children's Day" ("Weltkindertag")), and most notably: the customs.

In the GDR, the holiday was introduced in 1950, and was from then on a yearly highlight for the children. On this day of the year, one typically received congratulations and presents from one's parents and did special activities in school, such as field trips and the like. In the FRG, Children's Day did not have such meaning to the children, and was even mostly unknown to many people.

Since the affiliation in 1990, the date and name used in the FRG have become the official ones for the former GDR as well. This however was not accepted by large parts of the former GDR population, so that still many parents celebrate with their kids on the former date, June 1, and even Children's Day public events take place on the old date.

In Guatemala Children's day is celebrated on the first day of October.

In Honduras Children's Day (Día del Niño) is celebrated on September 10.

Children's Day is celebrated on April 4 each year (the same day as the Republic of China (Taiwan) since ROC established the Children's Day on April 4 in 1931. The ROC government combined Women’s Day with Children’s Day on April 4 in 1993, officially calling it Women’s and Children’s Day, making it a day for women, mothers, and children. The practice is still observed by both the Hong Kong SAR Government and the public after the handover in 1997, though this festival has not been a public holiday before the handover. [1], [2], [3]

In 1931 Children's day started although then it was called Children's Week, but since 1950 it has only been a day technically the last Sunday in May.

In India Children's Day day is celebrated on November 14 every year. This date the marks the anniversary of independent India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Children's day is celebrated on this day in recognition of his lifelong passion and work for children.

Children's Day is celebrated.

Children's Day is not celebrated.

May 05 is Children's Day, called こどもの日 ("Kodomo no hi") in Japanese; the festivities used to be called Boy's Day , called 端午の節句 (Tango no Sekku) in Japanese , to distinguish it from Girls' Day, called 桃の節句 (Momo no Sekku), ひな祭り (Hinamatsuri) in Japanese , March 3). Both of these days are marked with a lot of activities for children. On this day, children display samurai swords, armor, and Kintarō dolls. Two important symbols of Children's day are carps and irises. Traditionally, families fly carp kites with a carp .representing each son.

In Mexico Children's day is celebrated on the 30th of April.

Children's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of March each year. Children's Day provides New Zealanders with a special opportunity to spend time with their children, create positive memories, and take part in fun activities that start new traditions as well as continue old ones. The vision of Children's Day is to see children celebrated, nurtured and treasured by all.

Children's Day is celebrated on the 27th of May.

North Korean Children's Day is celebrated on June 1 (국제 아동절). Before 1945 it was celebrated on May 1, But in 1945, it was changed to its current date.

In South Korea, 5th of May is officially the Children's Day.

In Pakistan, Children's Day is celebrated on November 20. There is no holiday on this day but it is observed by NGO working on Child Rights.

In Peru, Children's Day is celebrated on October 14.

In Paraguay, Children's Day is celebrated on August 16, day of the infamous Battle of Acosta Ñu, where 20,000 thousand men of the Brazilian Army crushed a Paraguayan battle made up of 3,500 children ages six to fifteen - even though Paraguay had been already completely defeated (see more in War of the Triple Alliance). It's a national holiday, used to remember the atrocities the Brazilians committed during the five-year war.

In the People's Republic of China, Children's Day is celebrated on June 1 and is formally known as "the June 1st International Children's Day" (Simplified Chinese: 六一国际儿童节). When the People's Republic of China was first established in 1949, the State Council (Cabinet) designated a half-day holiday for all primary schools on June 1st. This was later made into a full day's break in 1956 with The Announcement by the State Council to make June 1st Children's Day a One-Day Holiday^[1]. Schools usually hold activities such as camping trips or free movies on Children's Day to allow students to have fun, and children of civil servants might also receive small gifts from the government. Entrance ceremonies of the Young Pioneers of China (similar to boy scouts in the West) are usually held on June 1st as well.However on 1/6/08 the day was made even more memorable,as many people remembered the childrens who died in the earthquake just a few weeks ago.

Children's Day is celebrated in Poland on June 1. The International Children's Day was introduced in Poland in 1952. It coincides with the beginning of summer and it is usually treated as a holiday, as it takes place near the end of the school year. Schools usually organize special activities for the day of the celebration, and the first week of June is a time of the festivities organized in parks and entertainment centers for children. Parents usually buy some small gifts for their children.

In Portugal, and also at some of its former colonies - Guinea-Bissau, Macau, Cape Verde, East Timor - the Children's Day is celebrated on June 1.

In Romania the Day is celebrated on June 1.

October 1 is the day which Singapore officially celebrates Children's Day, a similar event celebrated every year is Youth Day which is celebrated on the first Sunday of July each year.

In Slovakia, the day is called International Children's Day and is celebrated on June 1.

The Universal Children's Day is celebrated on the October 01.

The International Children's Day is celebrated on October 2, though there are very few actual celebrations.

The Republic of China (Taiwan) designates April 4 as Children's Day (Chinese: 兒童節), pursuant to Article 5 of the Order to Implement Commemoration Days and Holidays.^[2] Despite not being a legal holiday, schools often hold special activities in order to celebrate the occasion. Due to pressure from parents that demanded to accompany their children in the celebration, the ROC government recognized Women’s Day with Children’s Day on April 4, 1993. Thus, the celebration is technically called Women’s and Children’s Day.

The second Saturday of January is Children's Day in Thailand.

In Turkey, Children's Day has been celebrated on April 23rd since 1935. It originated from the first gathering of Grand National Assembly on April 23rd, 1920, during the Turkish Independence War.

After the Ottomans were defeated during World War I, Turkish land had been occupied by other European countries such as England, Italy and France. Ataturk, an Ottoman commander, broke his ties with the dying Empire and started the war for independence against Allied forces and the old Ottoman regime. After years of fighting Turkey won full independence.

Turks consider Ataturk to be "The Father of Modern Turkey". After the war, Ataturk refused the role of Sultan or King and established a modern Republic instead. He gifted April 23rd to the children for the country, so that they would cherish the independence that cost so much, but at the same time walk the path of "Peace at Home, Peace in the World"

On April 23rd children from around the world come to Turkey. They're hosted by families who have children of a similar age. Festivities last over a week and the visiting and Turkish children spend a lot of time together. Many children, often not even speaking the same language, create lifelong friendships. Several of the events are broadcast on television, showing the children in their traditional national outfits, dancing singing and exchanging gifts. The United Nations participates the events.

Every year on April 23rd, the seats of Parliament are held by children, and a child becomes President for a day. The child President delivers a speech on national television.

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.^[3]

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.^[4]

The Methodist Episcopal Church at the Methodist Conference of 1868 recommended that second Sunday in June be annually observed as Children’s Day.^[4]

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1883 designated the “the second Sabbath in June as Children’s Day.”^[5]

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.^[4]

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^[7].

Children's Day, was proclaimed by President Bill Clinton in October 2000. He declared that it be held on November 16th.

"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 1st. 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.^[8]

In Uruguay, Children's Day is celebrated on January 6th.

In Venezuela Children's Day is celebrated the 30th of April.

Children's Day is celebrated on June 1 as ICD and on the full moon of the 8th lunar month during the Mid-Autumn Festival.