Reflection on World Children’s Day 2022
Dear all,
Every year, World Children’s Day is celebrated on the 20th of November to commemorate the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly on November 20th, 1959. The objective of this international day is to promote togetherness and worldwide awareness to improve children’s welfare everywhere and anywhere. The theme of 2022 is to share a positive message of equality and inclusion for every child.
Sadly, the war in Ukraine is a tipping point for world security, welfare, and the international economy, especially since we are residents of a globalized world. Indeed, we are currently living in a fragile world as grave humanitarian crises and the impacts of land mines, cluster munitions, in addition to nuclear war threats grow without a light at the end of the tunnel. This brutal war and its consequences have jeopardized our hope and plan to build our ideal world – one with a healthy and peaceful future for all.
As we may remember, the United Nations proclaimed 2000 as the International Year of the Culture of Peace. Furthermore, the UN declared the years 2001-2010 as the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World, which has special significance to us. To this end, many of us were involved in proposals and action plans to promote the education and involvement of the children of the world in the practice of a culture of peace under the slogan: Preparing Our Children for Peace. Like many of you, I had the opportunity to take part in a number of activities on peace and disarmament campaigns regionally and globally. Children were a priority in my plans and involvements.
In this respect, I remember one of the articles I published in public and educational magazines, under the title: “From Child to Child…Toward a World Free of Nuclear Weapons,” and its subtitle: “From Hiroshima to Fukushima, Child to Child Messages.” (An image of the article is attached). Child-to-Child (CtC) is a children-led approach to health promotion, community development, and world welfare and peace. CtC is based on the belief that children can be actively involved in their communities, in solving community problems, and in bridging gaps to understand each other as well as other communities.
Many of us were involved in activities and projects such as “Learning to Abolish War: Teaching Toward a Culture of Peace.” This project was designed as a peace educational tool that directly confronts the paramount task of bringing forth a culture of peace and the abolition of war.
Unfortunately, the war in Ukraine has challenged our plans to prepare our children and youth for peace and conduct peace education activities in various parts of the world. Indeed, this catastrophic war has forever changed life as we know it.
However, as campaigners and activists working together to build a culture of peace and non-violence for the children and youth of the world, we believe more than ever that peace education programs are vital. This belief is the only way we can look forward to a peaceful and healthy world in which our children and future generations live.
All the best
Ghassan Shahrour
الشبكة العربية للأمن الإنساني 