Happy Children's Day

Sri Lanka celebrated Children's Day yesterday, October 1. It is celebrated annually in Sri Lanka to raise public awareness on the rights of children.

Government and non-governmental institutions organised several competitions, entertainment programmes and games for children. Children received gifts for their participation.

The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1989 and it came into force on September 2, 1990. Sri Lanka, as well as other member States signed the Convention that laid the foundation for the Children's Day in this country.

However, the choice of the date, is not clear. This is important as children are the key to prosperity and the future of the nation. Taking care of children helps the State to raise its economy to a new level.

Children's Day is an event celebrated on different days in many places around the world. International Children's Day is celebrated on June 1 and Universal Children's Day is on November 20.

Other countries celebrate a local Children's Day on other dates.

The International Children's Day has its origin in Turkey in 1920 and later at the World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva, Switzerland in 1925.

Children's Day was first celebrated worldwide in October 1955, under the sponsorship of the International Union for Child Welfare in Geneva.

The idea of a Universal Children's Day was mooted by Rubab Mansoor and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1954.

The Universal Children's Day takes place on November 20 annually. First proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1954, it was established to encourage all countries to institute a day, firstly to promote the welfare of the worlds' children.

The General Assembly designated October 1 as the International Day of Children and Older Persons by a resolution on December 14, 1990, following up on initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing.