With the initiative of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the motto “Investing in Children, Building the World of Tomorrow”, the official inauguration of World Children's Day and Children's Rights Week 2023 took place at the Bangladesh Shishu Academy on October 2, 2023.
Brac Institute of Educational Development (BRAC IED), Brac University, and the Bangladesh ECD Network (BEN) collaboratively, participated throughout the week with planned activities for children in the “Play Lab”, according to a press release issued on Sunday.
In the “Play Labs”, children engage in play-based learning and activities that foster holistic development in children and surrounds children with a world of stories, a world of dreams, a world of colours and an outdoor world where children can plant trees.
Within this model, children actively participate in activities such as drawing pictures, colouring, reading storybooks, and creating play materials from low cost and widely available materials. All these activities play a significant role in the early childhood and mental development of children.
The event was inaugurated by the Speaker of the Bangladesh National Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.
In her inaugural speech, the speaker said: "Children are the heart of the nation and the foundation of the nation's formation. Today's children will be the leaders of the future and they will lead in shaping the future world. Therefore, it is necessary to take the necessary steps from early childhood to ensure the welfare and rights of children."
The inaugural ceremony was presided over by State Minister of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira.
She said: "Interest in learning must be fostered through children's extracurricular activities. Therefore, the Bangladesh Shishu Academy has established Outreach Schools for children, so that children can develop an interest in education through various forms of extracurricular activities such as sports, painting, quizzes, music etc."
Additional remarks were made during the inaugural ceremony by Unicef Deputy Representative Emma Brigham, Chairman of the Bangladesh Shishu Academy Lucky Enam, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Nazma Mubarak.
To advance the cause of safeguarding child rights and fostering holistic development in children an array of events unfolded over a seven-day span.
The Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Unicef, local and international children organizations, along with development agencies, orchestrated seminars, art competitions, debate contests, roundtable discussions, and cultural events throughout the week.
