环球英语 A Day for Children
Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Ryan Geertsma.
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And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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Today’s Spotlight is on special days that honor children - Children’s Days. We begin today’s program with these quotes about children.
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“If we wish to create lasting peace we must begin with the children.” Mahatma Ghandi
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“Safety and security do not just happen. They are the result of people thinking the same thing and investing in the public. Children are the most helpless citizens in our society. We owe them a life free of violence and fear.” Nelson Mandela
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“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Frederick Douglass
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These quotes are from three men who worked their whole lives toward peace. Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, and Frederick Douglass all tried to create a better community. And they all understood how important children are in the process of building that community. They believed that people must work to make the world a better place for children. When children grow up in a better world, they become strong adults.
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And yet many children around the world do not grow up in a safe and secure environment. Many grow up without going to school. UNESCO reports that in 2010, 61 million children were not in school. Some children are forced to fight. UNICEF says that today, there are more than 300,000 child soldiers. 20 million children are refugees. Conflict has forced them to leave their home countries. UNICEF also reports that about 153 million children are forced to work. Many must work in terrible situations that are bad for their health and safety. These facts about children are troubling.
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Many organizations work to improve the lives of children. But people all around the world can help. They can remember these children, and work toward ending these problems. In fact, the United Nations has encouraged governments around the world to remember and work for children. That is why people began celebrating Children’s days.
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In 1925 a group of people met in Geneva, Switzerland. It was the World Conference for the Well-being of Children. There, they established a special day for children. They declared that people should use this day to celebrate with children and to work toward caring for children. They called it International Children’s Day. Some countries celebrate this day on June 1 every year. No one knows exactly why this date was chosen.
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There is another official Children’s Day too. It is simply called “Children’s Day”. Children’s Day was established in 1954. Children’s Day officially happens on November 20 every year. This is the day when the General Assembly of the United Nations accepted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. This document was accepted in 1959 by almost all the countries of the UN. It lists ten guiding principles, or ideas, that governments should follow. It lists the rights that each child deserves. Principle one says that all children should receive equal rights. There should be no difference because of his race, color, sex, language, religion, or for any other reason.
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Other rights in the Declaration include the right to a name and nationality. Children have the right to receive an education, be cared for by a parent, and protected from neglect and abuse.
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In 1989, the United Nations held the Convention on the Rights of the Child. They again encouraged governments to promise that all children in the world have the same rights. They wanted each government to create a Children’s Day. And each government could choose the date that was best for their own country. On Children’s Day, people celebrate children. But these days are also a way to remember children who do not yet experience these important rights.
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Around the world many countries celebrate Children’s Day. Each country has its own traditions and events. Many of the events concentrate on children’s well-being throughout the world. Here are some of these traditions.
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In Thailand, people celebrate Children’s Day every year on the 2nd Saturday of January. Many people encourage their children to just have fun. Public museums and zoos have special reduced prices for children on that day. These are public places for children to learn about history and animals.
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In Brazil, Children’s Day is on October 12. It is the same day as another national holiday. Parents give small gifts to their children. In some communities, Children’s Day is bigger than the Christmas holiday!
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In India, people celebrate Children’s Day on November 14. There are many fun events that children can attend. Many of these events are at schools. Communities come together to share Children’s Day poems, dance, and eat together. Many of the events concentrate on children’s needs like education, health care, fun, and other social needs. It is also popular to send SMS messages that wish people a happy Children’s Day!
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In Australia, people spend a whole week celebrating Children’s Day. This happens in the fourth week of October. Groups of people in each Australian state work together to celebrate children. They also organize events that support children, young people and families.
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All these events honor children. They help children and adults remember that all children deserve equal human rights. The well-being of children is important for the future. In 2012, UNICEF released a study. The study looked at how the world might be in the year 2025 and after. In 2025, the world population will be 8 billion people. But 90% of the children born between now and then will grow up in the poorest areas. Many of these children will lack basic education. They may be at risk of becoming child soldiers or being forced to work in terrible conditions. That is why people should continue to celebrate and remember Children’s Day. David Anthony helped to write the UNICEF report. He says:
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“We must do everything possible so these children get an equal chance to survive, develop, and be able to do everything they can do.”
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This is true for all children. Is there a Children’s Day celebration in your country? Tell us about it on the script page of this program. Or email us at radio@radioenglish.net.
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The writer of this program was Liz Waid. The producer was Michio Ozaki. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, ‘A Day for Children’.
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We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.
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