November 20 - World Children's Day: history, traditions, interesting facts

Every year on November 20, World Children's Day is celebrated in Russia and other countries. The celebration is intended to remind of the need to ensure a happy and safe childhood, and that caring for children is a key aspect of a sustainable future society. In 2024, the holiday falls on Wednesday. Read about its history and traditions in Izvestia.

History of the emergence of World Children's Day on November 20

The idea of celebrating World Children's Day was proposed by the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in 1954 in order to remind about the problems of children around the world and to provide every child with a better life regardless of race, gender and social status. To this end, the UN instructed member countries to develop programs aimed at improving access to education for the younger generation, caring for their physical and mental health, and protecting children from negative environmental influences.

The result of this work was the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1959. However, this document was of a recommendatory nature. Therefore, on November 20, 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed, which is binding for all UN member states. To date, it has been ratified by 196 countries.

These two crucial documents enshrined the legal obligations of states to protect children's rights at the international level in the areas of education, health, social welfare and protection from violence. Children were officially recognized as full members of society, with rights that must be taken into account.

World Children's Day - as celebrated in Russia and the world in 2024

World Children's Day is a significant holiday not only for children, but also for those who care about their well-being: parents, teachers, educators, social workers, doctors, psychologists.

Various educational events take place in Russia on this day. Schools and children's institutions hold open lessons on children's rights and family values. Charitable organizations organize social actions aimed at helping large families, raising funds for the treatment and rehabilitation of children.

Concerts, plays, drawing and essay contests on the theme of childhood are held in cities. Also on this day mass media and public organizations hold public discussions on the problems of child mortality, violence, the need to support families with children.

Forums, seminars and conferences are held in different countries to discuss the rights of children, their upbringing, education and health care. On this date also falls a lot of events aimed at helping children from disadvantaged families, orphans.

Interesting facts about children, timed to the World Children's Day

In honor of the holiday, Izvestia prepared several interesting facts about children.

Studies show that newborns already a few hours after birth recognize the voice of their mother and prefer it to other sounds. In addition, babies have a faster heartbeat than adults. Their heart rate reaches 120-160 beats per minute, while the adult norm is about 60-100 beats.

Most people begin to form long-term memories around the age of three, and everything before that is forgotten. The inability of a person to remember the events of the very first years of life is called infantile amnesia.

The record for many children belongs to a couple from Russia, who lived in the XVIII century. A woman named Valentina Vasilyeva had 69 children: 16 pairs of twins, seven triplets, four more times she produced four children.

Earlier "Izvestia" told how and when in Russia celebrate World Men's Day.