International Day of Children's Protection festivities at Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada
01 June 2018, 15:00
Recently, the Parliament’s premises have been home to a range of large-scale celebrations dedicated to the International Day of Children's Protection, including guided tours for children throughout the parliament edifice.
The events were attended by the First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Herashchenko. She, in particular, stressed that it was pleasure to see so many girls within the Parliament’s walls. The politician urged the young Ukrainians to believe in themselves and not be afraid to go the way they would choose for themselves, including politics.
"My dear, Ukraine is experiencing very difficult times, and only together we are able to accomplish reforms and bring peace back in Ukraine. We, adults, have to pursue all-out diplomatic and political efforts to do so. But you can also help us with your prayers, with the power of your words, with the power of your faith in Ukraine," stated the politician.
In the parliament’s courtyard, there were parliamentarians socializing gladly and openly with the children in groups playing various games, communicating with writers, feasting their eyes upon children’s dance and choral ensembles.
The events were attended by children of internally displaced persons (IDP) from the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine.
Co-organizers of the feast were the parliament’s administration and the “Svoi” charitable foundation, established in 2014 to administer aid to the IDPs and children living in the so called “grey” area.
Worthy of note
International Day of Children's Protection is celebrated in Ukraine. This is not surprising because children in any country are the same for all of us – they are future of the people and nation.
The holiday had been established by the Council of the International Democratic Women's Federation on June 1, 1949, and a year later this holiday was celebrated in fifty-one countries more. However, this event took place fifty-five years after its establishment in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Then, on June 1, it was reorganized into the International Children's Day, though there has been no accurate information yet why this date was chosen.
Furthermore, upon the developments of the Second World War, the issue of children's well-being became even acuter-than-usual. In 1949, the Paris Congress of Women vowed in all possible ways to provide peace on Earth as the only possible way to bring prosperity and happiness to children.