_{Photo: Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of State at the Ministry of Education}

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Nov. 25, 2024

Belize joined other nations worldwide in celebrating World Children’s Day on Friday, November 22, led by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

The International Day was initially celebrated on 1st June in many countries, following the suggestion from the Women’s International Democratic Federation. However, in 1959, the celebration was changed to its current date of November 20, to commemorate the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly.

This year’s activities, which fall under the theme, “Listen to the Future, Stand Up for Children’s Rights,” focus on encouraging adults to listen to children’s hopes, dreams, and visions for the future, and promote children’s right to participation. Children should be empowered to voice their opinions about the world they want to live in, and it’s our responsibility to listen and support their visions.

“We must celebrate our young people,” said Minister of State at the Ministry of Education, Hon. Dr. Louis Zabaneh.

“We must remember the times we’re working to make their future better. So, that gives us more motivation to do the best that we can, so that they can have even better opportunities than we did in our time; and that’s the measure of our success at the end of the day. What we can do for children is to give them the right environment, so that they can flourish and become the best they can become,” he added.

In Belize, World Children’s Day was celebrated among the lower-level children on various days throughout the week. Those children participated in an array of activities which were conducted by the schools.

St. John Vianney in Belize City divided their students into three groups—the standard 1 and 5 classes went to DIGI Park for various activities; Standard 2 students attended the opening ceremonies for 16 Days of Activism at the House of Culture; and the remaining students stayed at school and participated in the activities hosted by their respective classrooms.

While the majority of schools in the country took part in the International Day on Friday last, schools in the Cayo District postponed the event for this upcoming Friday, November 29. The postponement was due to the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Sara.