International Children's Day is one of the oldest international holidays. The decision to celebrate it was made in 1925 at the World Conference on Children's Welfare in Geneva. History is silent on why it was decided to celebrate this children's holiday on June 1st.
According to one version, in 1925, the Chinese Consul General in San Francisco gathered a group of Chinese orphans and organized a Duanwu Jie (Dragon Boat Festival) celebration for them, which fell on June 1st. By a lucky coincidence, the day also coincided with a "children's" conference in Geneva.
Program of events for June 1, 2022
After World War II, when issues of children's health and well-being were more pressing than ever, a women's congress was held in Paris in 1949, pledging a tireless struggle to ensure lasting peace as the only guarantee of children's happiness. That same year, at the Moscow session of the Council of the Women's International Democratic Federation, in accordance with the decisions of its 2nd Congress, the current holiday was established. A year later, in 1950, the first International Children's Day was observed on June 1st, and since then, the holiday has been celebrated annually.
International Children's Day has a flag. On a green background, symbolizing growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility, stylized figures—red, yellow, blue, white, and black—surround the Earth sign. These human figures symbolize diversity and tolerance. The Earth sign, placed in the center, is a symbol of our common home.
Interestingly, this holiday was actively supported in countries that chose the socialist path of development. During the Soviet era, June 1 marked the beginning of summer school break. International Children's Day was celebrated with speeches and discussions about children's rights and well-being, screenings of new children's films and television programs, and sporting competitions for children, often inviting parents to participate. Even today, many countries celebrate this day with a variety of public, recreational, and cultural events for children.
But Children's Day isn't just a fun holiday for the children themselves; it's also a reminder to society of the need to protect children's rights so that all children can grow up happy, learn, pursue their passions, and become wonderful parents and citizens of their country.
