World Children’s Day is celebrated on November 20th each year with the theme “My Day, My Rights” chosen by UNICEF in 2025. The purpose of World Children’s Day is to raise global awareness about children’s rights, welfare, and advocate for issues affecting the future of children. The theme “My Day, My Rights” emphasizes that today belongs to children and reminds everyone that children hold rights, including the right to protection, education, health, participation in social life, and to have their voices heard.
Various activities can be done to commemorate World Children’s Day and focus on raising awareness and needs of children. Firstly, learning about children’s rights is crucial to become advocates for children’s rights. Understanding the history of children’s rights, the content of each right, and the reason for the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is important to respect and advocate for children’s rights properly.
Secondly, campaigns are typically carried out by UNICEF and partners, governments, businesses, parents, teachers, and children worldwide to highlight the importance of children’s rights and urge world leaders to accelerate efforts to protect and fulfill children’s rights. These campaigns can be conducted online through social media, webinars, conferences, and seminars that discuss specific aspects of children’s rights.
Moreover, “kids’ takeovers” activities are organized by UNICEF on November 20 in various countries. In these activities, children are given the opportunity to take on important roles in media, politics, business, sports, and entertainment to highlight issues they consider crucial. This aims to amplify children’s voices and allow them to express their ideas and actions in promoting a future that respects and protects children’s rights.
Lastly, the “Blue Buildings” initiative involves illuminating or painting school buildings and significant landmarks worldwide in blue on November 20 to show support for children’s rights. Renowned landmarks in the past, such as the Eiffel Tower in France, Chichen Itza in Mexico, and hundreds of historical buildings in India, have joined this campaign.
In 2019, famous landmarks like the Acropolis of Athens, Empire State Building in the United States, European Parliament Building in Belgium, Shanghai Tower in China, Panthéon in France, and Panama Canal in Panama were lit up in blue to commemorate World Children’s Day. It is essential to participate in these initiatives to promote and protect children’s rights for a better future.
