ei: Four weeks of activities launched to mark Palestinian child day

Palestinian children playing in the old city of Nablus. (Feroze Sidhwa)

RAMALLAH/GAZA -- This year Palestinian Child Day will mark the start of four weeks of UNICEF-supported activities in the West Bank and Gaza, aimed at providing more than 7000 children aged 6-16 years, with a supportive and productive environment. The activities are led by the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) and UNICEF.

"The events we are supporting are aimed at making a difference in the lives of the most marginalized children in society," said UNICEF Special Representative Dan Rohrmann.

The activities will be conducted in 15 districts. In cooperation with MoSA, the Municipality of Gaza, including the Children Municipality Councils (CMC), will help more than 700 kids participating in Fun Days held at safe play areas. This will feature face painting, sports, story telling and screening of plays, as well as outings which are rare for many of these kids who have lived in a crisis environment for years.

All of the activities aim to restore normalcy to marginalized children who suffered the most during years of conflict. These activities will provide a safe and supportive environment that will enable children to express themselves freely and openly.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.

Ten years ago, the late Chairman Arafat declared the Fifth of April as Palestinian Child Day. Funding for this event is generously provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

More Information

Michael Bociurkiw, Communication Officer, UNICEF. Tel: 0577-293214; Email: mbociurkiw@unicef.org; Joan Assali, Communication Assistant, UNICEF. Tel: 0577-631360; Email: jassali@unicef.org.

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