Day of African Child to be commemorated

Addis Ababa, June 8, 2012( WIC)- The Day of the African Child would be commemorated here for the 22nd time with various activities. According to the press release issued by the organizers of the event at the Bole Ambassador Hotel, the Day will be commemorated June 14 – 16,2012 with Pan-African inter-school competition, exhibition and awards. Children from 11 African countries including Ethiopia are expected to contest in the pan-African Inter-school competition.

The Day to be commemorated with the theme: “The rights of Children with Disabilities, The Duty To Protect, Respect, Promote, and Fulfil,” would contribute to the effort being made in the continent to address challenges facing children with disabilities, the release noted.

The release also said the event aims to raise awareness about the rights, capabilities, and potential of children with disabilities and to draw attention to their situation particularly those who and vulnerable to marginalization and violence. The event would to involve children with disabilities in their issues and promote togetherness among children from different African countries, the release said.

The commemoration events will be held at the African Union (AU) headquarters, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the South African Embassy. Artist Chachi Tadesse, founder of HOHETE TESFA children's home and Anteneh belay, founder and managing director of Wings Education and Media are the main organizers of the event with their many partners.

The Day of the African Child is commemorated every year June 16 by AU member states and its partners to mainly recall the 1976 uprisings in Soweto, when a protest by school children against apartheid-inspired education resulted in the public killing of unarmed young protesters by racist police.