Federation of World Peace and Love

Celebrating World Children's Day
Conscience Education, Happy Children and a Hopeful Future

 

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze
President of Federation of World Peace and Love
Vice-President of Association of World Citizens
Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men
Nov. 20, 2021

 

Children are the world's future and hope. The innocence of newborns, babbling toddlers, and children that are smiling and playing can all make us smile because they represent the joy of new life. Children's clear eyes, untouched by the mundane world, enable adults to temporarily let go of their worries and disputes, as if they were returning to the beginning of life--a simpler and more intuitive time--when they were eager to explore the world and easily felt happy and satisfied. Adults should learn from children, face the world with a sincere heart, and use a genuine heart to help and cooperate with one another, so that they can create a happy world for children.

Children have unlimited potential for development, just like a blank piece of paper, which can faithfully reflect the colors and patterns of the drawing on it. The tangible and intangible environments, including various people, events, and things they come into contact with and the chemistry and interactions between them, influence children significantly. Throughout history, there are countless articles and studies on how people’s childhood experiences affect their development and lives; there are also many famous cases where children grew into successful adults because of their appropriate upbringing. Xunzi, a philosopher of the pre-Qin Dynasty, once said, “A weed growing in a hemp field becomes straight without support. A handful of white sand placed in black ink becomes as black as the ink.” This explains the impact of the environment.

The challenges and crises facing humanity are affecting the environment in which children live, as well as their future. In recognition of the fact that children are physically and mentally immature and require special protection and care, including appropriate legal protection, the United Nations established World Children's Day on November 20, 1954, and proposed for it to be a day to promote the ideals and objectives of the United Nations Charter and to advance the welfare of the world's children. Every year, this day is celebrated in various ways around the world, calling on and encouraging people to work together for children's rights and improve their welfare. On November 20, 1959 and November 20, 1989, the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, respectively, both of which explicitly protect the rights of all children and teenagers under the age of 18.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the most widely ratified international human rights treaty. Every child is an independent and complete individual and, like an adult, is entitled to exercise his or her rights. Regardless of age, gender, or nationality, children should be protected in all aspects of life, including life, health, education, recreation, family life, freedom from violence and discrimination, and the right to express their views. Parents, teachers, health care professionals, government leaders, civil society organizations, religious groups, community elders, business leaders, media professionals, young people, and even children themselves can all play an active role in protecting the basic rights of children. The power of education, in particular, is crucial. To liberate children from their fear of the future, adults must lead by example to avoid distorting children’s values. In a country or society, as well as in schools and families, adults’ words and actions and the distinction between right and wrong, good and bad, as well as true and false have a direct and significant impact on the next generation and future generations.

On the other hand, children are more than just people that need our protection, and we should never underestimate their ability to make a difference. For example, Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, has battled for women's rights to education in Pakistan while Katherine Commale, the Ambassador of Netting, has kept millions of African children safe from the threat of malaria. Children's eyes can observe a lot of information that adults miss, and their innocent hearts and intuitive actions can often elicit profound emotions and receive positive feedback from far and wide.

As children have immense potential to change the world but are vulnerable and in need of assistance and protection, what we can do is not only to build a relatively peaceful and safe world by improving the external environment as much as possible, but more importantly, to educate children who lack resources by linking up positive forces around the world through innovative digital platforms. The essence of education is the transmission of quality culture and the cultivation of moral conscience. Culture and education may seem intangible, but they are in fact the key, intangible assets that all nations and countries should cherish. Through conscience-driven education, we can empower children to protect their morality so that their conscience can guide them through the challenging process of growing up, so that they can distinguish right from wrong, stay away from negative traps and temptations, and establish correct values in life. This way, they can adhere to their innate conscience, so that their inner love and courage can defy the dangers of reality, do good deeds, protect their basic rights, and participate in building a future of hope that is more suitable for survival.

On this World Children's Day, I thank all the friends participating in today’s event. This day provides an inspiring opportunity for each of us to enhance the links between World Children's Day and communities, societies, and nations, from advocating, facilitating, and supporting children's rights to translating them into practical activities to build a happy, carefree, and beautiful world for children. Such actions will also bring us a happier living environment and a more hopeful future.

Once again, thank you for your participation.

May you all be blessed with health, security, peace, and happiness!

 

*Presented at the ICDAY’s virtual event in support of UN World Children's Day