Crystal Marschner
Director
National Child Day
The most precious jewels you will ever have around your neck are the arms of a child. Children are what make our world happy, inspirational and fun. On November 20th of every year we come together as a community to celebrate all things that are great about our children!
National Child Day has been celebrated, in Canada, on November 20th since 1993. It is a day to commemorate the United Nations’ adoption of two documents centered on children’s rights: the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1959, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1989.
In the Smoky River Region all municipalities have proclaimed this day National Child Day!
The founding principles of this include: acting in the best interests of the child, genuinely considering the views of the child in all decision-making that affects them, ensuring children have the right to primary consideration in all economic, social, and political decisions, policies, programs, and expenditures that impact upon them.
There are many reasons to celebrate children, but most of all because children deserve to be recognized as important members of our community, they are our future!
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.
Many children in Alberta do not have the basics, affordable housing or quality childcare, for examples. As a province rich in children, it is important for Albertans to recognize National Child Day. As a community, we are able to have the most direct positive impact on the lives of children. National Child Day is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss to engage our community as a whole about these key issues and their implications.