In 1954 the
United Nations General Assembly recommended that all countries around the world
should set aside a day to celebrate children. The aim was that Children’s Day
would be seen as a symbol of worldwide fraternity and understanding, and also
be an opportunity to promote the welfare of children.
The Assembly
suggested that Children’s Day be observed on the date which each country
considers appropriate.
The 20th of November —
International Children’s Day — 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.
(...)
Children’s
Day around the world
Country
|
Date
|
Themes
|
Organisational
|
Characteristics
|
|
celebrated
|
|
Structures
|
|
Samoa
|
Second
Sunday
|
White
Sunday
|
Church-based
|
Parents
give
|
|
of October
|
|
|
special honour to
|
|
|
|
|
their children.
|
|
|
|
|
Children dress in
|
|
|
|
|
white and parents
|
|
|
|
|
serve them
|
|
|
|
|
National holiday
|
|
|
|
|
on the following
|
|
|
|
|
Monday
|
Tokelau
|
Second Sunday
|
White
Sunday
|
Church-based
|
Children
dress in
|
Islands
|
of October
|
|
|
white and parents
|
|
|
|
|
serve them
|
Niue
|
Second
Sunday
|
White
Sunday
|
Church-based
|
Children
dress in
|
|
of October
|
|
|
white and parents
|
|
|
|
|
serve them
|
Tonga
|
First
Sunday in
|
White
Sunday
|
Church-based
|
|
|
May
|
(Fakame)
|
|
|
|
|
follows Mother’s
|
|
|
|
|
and Father’s Days,
|
|
|
|
|
which are also held
|
|
|
|
|
in May
|
|
|
Cook
|
June
|
White
Sunday
|
|
|
Islands
|
|
|
|
|
Australia
|
Children’s
|
Focus
national
|
National
Secretariat
|
State
committee
|
|
Week, last
|
attention on the
|
local State
|
support local
|
|
week of
|
chosen theme, e.g.
|
committees
|
organisations to
|
|
October
|
‘A Caring World
|
community groups
|
run activities to
|
|
|
Shares’. National
|
like schools,
|
benefit children
|
|
|
Council sets
|
libraries, relevant
|
|
|
|
common goals
|
Government
|
|
|
|
|
Departments etc
|
|
Aboriginal,
|
4 August
|
Different
themes
|
Challenges
|
|
Torres
|
|
each year to draw
|
organisations and
|
|
Strait
|
|
attention to the
|
individuals to think
|
|
Island
|
|
needs of and issues
|
about the example
|
|
|
|
facing these
|
they set children
|
|
|
|
children e.g. child
|
|
|
|
|
poverty, access to
|
|
|
|
|
education
|
|
|
Canada
|
20
November,
|
Respect
Children
|
National
Child Day is
|
National
Child Day
|
|
matching UN
|
|
a mechanism to help
|
Act
|
|
Convention on
|
|
communities and
|
|
|
the rights of
|
|
families pay tribute
|
|
|
the Child
|
|
to children
|
|
United
|
First or
|
Celebrate
children
|
Proclamation
from
|
Also
celebrates
|
States
|
second Sunday
|
as the hope of the
|
president calls for
|
Family Week
|
|
of June
|
nation
|
appropriate
|
|
|
|
|
ceremonies and
|
|
|
|
|
activities for
|
|
|
|
|
children
|
|
Ireland
|
First
Sunday in
|
Draws
attention to
|
National
recognition
|
Children of
Ireland
|
|
October
|
children deprived
|
Community
|
Awards
|
|
|
of a happy life
|
|
|
|
|
organisations
|
|
|
|
Theme: ‘children
|
celebrate Children's
|
|
|
|
are doing it for
|
Day
|
|
|
|
themselves’
|
|
|
Norway
|
17 May
|
Links
Norway’s
|
National
Structure
|
|
http://www.childrensday.org.nz/activity-ideas/