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Roundup: Latin America marks Children's Day by efforts to create better childhood

Xinhua, June 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

The International Day for Protection of Children is celebrated on June 1 and has been observed as the Children's Day in many countries since 1950, while different countries in Latin America and Caribbean have different ways and days to celebrate the event.

On April 16, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook Ecuador's north coast and killed 663 people. The childhood joys such as normal schooling and family life cannot be regained easily, as many schools and houses need to be rebuilt.

However, children in the quake-hit areas tried to make the most of their day. "Now I am free most of the time. Instead of watching TV, I like to play the old-fashioned games, such as flying a kite, playing with a ball and bowling with my friends," said Osiris Saltos Clavijo, a displaced child currently living in a shelter in Portoviejo, Zcapital city of Manabi province.

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund has been working alongside with the government and other organizations, including the restoration of education facilities and temporary shelters for young people, in order to help one of the country's most vulnerable populations

On Wednesday in Nicaragua, the "Week for Nicaraguan Children" got underway. During this week, local governments and civil organizations focused their efforts on promoting, defending and applying children's rights as stipulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child signed in 1989.

Apart from Ecuador and Nicaragua,the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean celebrated the festival on other days.

Mexico celebrates its annual Children's Day on April 30, when teachers organize special days for their pupils including playing games, listening to music, having a party and asking the children to bring along their favorite books, among other activities.

Some of the schools even suspend classes for the day or for half of the day. Many families may give their children presents, while parks and sports centers organize special activities. Shopping centers have promotions for toys and hand out candies.

Argentina and Peru celebrate their Children's Day on the third Sunday of August. Argentina opens the presidential palace Casa Rosada to the public on that day,thus parents could bring their children to visit the historical building.

Brazilian Children's Day, which falls on Aug. 15, is also known as a national immunization day. Doctors see lots of young patients and vaccinate those under five-year-old against polio on that day.

Costa Rican Children's Day has been celebrated every year on Sept. 9 since 1946. Primary and secondary schools hold celebrations and distribute sweets and small gifts while parents give out their own gifts.

In 2015, a special area of the Costa Rican National Assembly was opened to children on the Children's day, so that the young people could have a shot at debating for the understanding of the parliament's function.

Panama, Venezuela and Cuba all celebrate the Children's Day on the third Sunday of July. Endi