We Celebrated The World Children’s Day With Poems

World Children’s Day is celebrated on 20 November each year for the recognition of children’s rights as per the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted in 1989. World Children’s Day aims to raise awareness of children’s rights as well as those children who fails to exercise these rights.

The Convention defines children as individuals under the age of 18. The main principles of the Convention include non-discrimination, best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and development and lastly respect for the views of the child.

As WALD, we organized a Poetry Competition Event with the participation of refugee children from cities of our Social Protection Desks with respect to November 20 World Children’s Day. 

Held online via Zoom application, the event aimed to promote refugee children to learn Turkish and encourage them in this regard. Children were able to submit their applications through our Social Protection Desks and share their videos in which they read poems.

The jury assessed the poems of participants under two groups: 9-12 years old and 13-15 years old and defined the top ranks. Turkish language skills, body language skills while reading poems and fluent reading skills were the assessment criteria in assessment of the competition, which drew great interest among children. 

Held on December 4, 2020, the event opened with the information about World Children’s Day. It was followed by the speech delivered by Mehmet DUMAN, WALD Chairman of the Executive Board. Mr. Duman stated that all activities carried out by WALD focused on safe and healthy shelter of children, their school enrollment and humane life regardless of their gender, religion, language, nationality and social status. 

The event continued with the announcement of children ranking the highest, who, afterwards, read their poems to the participants. Children expressed their excitement, happiness and gratitude to have this opportunity to read their lovely poems on this screen. At the end of the event, Mehmet Duman, WALD Chairman of the Executive Board wished children lifelong health, happiness and success while giving them presents.