 |
Programmes |
|
UNESCO, UNHCR commemorate
AFrica Children's Day
The UNESCO Office in Senegal in collaboration with the
UN refugee agency, UNHCR, commemorated the Africa Children's Day with
an elaborate ceremony that highlighted the challenges facing future leaders
of a continent scarred by unending conflicts.
The event at Dakar's Maison de la Culture Douta Seck, brought together
more than 200 refugee children and their parents from eight African countries
- Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire,
Liberia, Mauritania, Rwanda and Sierra Leone.
The refugees were also joined by other children brought by their parents
to identify with their less-privileged colleagues.
The theme of speeches at the occasion by UNESCO, UNHCR and refugee representatives,
centred on the situation of displaced children, who along with women bear
the greatest brunt of conflicts in Africa.
There were also special presentations and performances, including dance,
songs, recitations and drama sketches by the refugee children, focusing
on tolerance, good health, protection of the environment, anti-drug messages
and children's rights.
Mrs. Magna Zormelo, of the UNESCO Dakar Documentation Centre, which runs
a special Kiddies Corner, devoted to children's issues, said Saturday's
event was part of ongoing activities to highlight the plight of children,
especially refugees and how to "mould children, our future leaders,
into peace-loving, tolerant and responsible adults."
"Through story telling, reading, art therapy (painting, drawing
and theatre), devoted to specific themes such as health, environment and
citizenship, Kiddies Corner tries to promote and create dialogue among
children aged between six and 12 years from different countries,"
she said.
"Our kids have two grand-mothers - Dr. Lalla Aïcha Ben Barka,
the UNESCO Representative and Director of UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education
in Africa, and Mrs. Roseline Idowu, Regional Representative of UNHCR/Dakar,"
Zormelo noted.
According to her, on 9 May 2007, the UNESCO Documentation Centre registered
78 refugee children from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea,
Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Mauritania, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, resident
in Senegal.
"We believe that instilling the notion of good citizenship in children
would make them better aware of major challenges confronting today's society
and how to tackle such challenges through tolerance and thereby helping
to build a peaceful society," she stressed.
In their speeches, Edith Audridge, president, refugee women's community
and Mohamed Ville, president of the Community of refugees in Senegal,
both stressed the need for Africa to raise families, especially children
based on love and positive attitude to life.
"Children go where there is excitement and stay where there is love.
When our children experience difficulties such as child abuse, abortion
by mothers, child trafficking, and sexual abuse, among others, it is the
responsibility of society to explore the causes and remedy the situation
instead of just condemning the action," Ville said.He also stressed
the need to give children proper education to guide them in the future.
The commemoration, supported by the Senegalese Ministry of Education
and UNICEF, as well as Oxfam/USA and Totalfina, ended with a luncheon
for the children and their parents.
Source PANAPRESS
|
