If you are under 18 years of age, then November 20th is your day. With your family or friends, participate in or organize an event that will highlight how important young people are to our society. Get a copy of Health Canada's National Child Day Activity Guide at www.hc-sc.gc.ca/child-day, and pick up a cool copy of the Convention on the Rights of the Child at www.rightsofchildren.ca. Here are some other ideas for action:
- Organize a National Child Day festival at your school. Set up booths with audio or visual presentations on themes such as youth and the family, the participation rights of children and youth, or healthy minds and healthy bodies.
- Create a newsletter on the rights of children and youth. Share your newsletter with the community.
- Free the Children (FTC) is an international network of children helping children through representation, leadership and action. FTC was started by Craig Kielburger, a Canadian who was only 12 when he founded the organization in 1995. It has since grown into an international children's organization active in more than 20 countries. Start your own Chapter or register as a volunteer by contacting info@freethechildren.org.
- Make a list of improvements you would like to see for children and youth living in your community. You could begin by identifying factors in the community that could improve the health and well being of children and youth. Discuss ways that institutions, organizations and youth themselves can address these factors.
- Organize an essay contest on the Convention on the Rights of the Child in which your schoolmates pick a specific right and explain why that right is important to them. Publish the winning essay in the school paper or local community paper.
- Organize and participate in a model parliamentary debate on a right or group of rights featured in the Convention.
- Identify a right or group of rights that children from some parts of the world do not enjoy. Have a discussion on what action you can take to improve the situation.
- Invite speakers from a children's rights organization (see links, below) to talk about their work in Canada or abroad and how you can help make a difference.
- View a film on children's rights based on the Convention. Discuss some of the issues raised by the film.
- Share your thoughts on National Child Day on Health Canada's website at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/english/e_splash.html.
