Dedicating to the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children

As part of its program intended to promote the United Nations General Assembly’s Special Session on Children, the UN Information Centre in Moscow organized a special event on April 30 at the Ronald McDonald Centre, a modern sports and playground complex for children with limited physical and mental abilities.

More than 100 children, many of whom were orphans and/or handicapped were present at this memorable event. In his brief opening remarks, Information Centre Director Alexandre Gorelik described the main tasks of the Special Session, and its expected outcome for children around the world. Welcoming speeches were also given by Svetlana Polyakova, General Director of the Ronald McDonald House Charitable Foundation; and Tatiana Lomanova, President of the Street Children Charitable Society.

A concert, interspersed with athletic competitions aimed at actively involving those children with limited physical and mental abilities in the proceedings, then began. The organizers of the concert were the Street Children Foundation, whose work is concentrated primarily on preventative measures for combating juvenile crime, child neglect, drug abuse, alcoholism, and HIV/AIDS; and Moscow Secon-dary School 1224, which enjoys UNESCO Associate Status. The audience responded warmly to the concert.

Afterwards, an open exhibition of the children’s artwork with drawings and batique dyed cloths was held, organized by the Sun Regional Children’s Organization for the Development of Creative Abilities, and the Bryansk regional public organization Radimichi For the Children of Chernobyl. The children present at the event took part in a unique crafts class taught by Sun director Elena Allakhverdova, and fashioned commemorative souvenirs out of materials at hand. The guests were then invited to help themselves at the dessert table in the Centre’s foyer.

According to the participants, the fact that the event was so varied helped turn it into a true festival, one that took place in a lively, free and easy atmosphere. Thus, the “message” of the UN General Assembly’s Special Session was better understood by the children themselves, while the partnership between the UN agencies working in Russia and the local NGOs was strengthened even further.

Children Are the Brightest Part of Our Life

On May 31, Office of the Representative of the United Nations’ Children’s Fund in Russia held a round table forum in Moscow, dedicated to discussing the results of the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children. The Special Session took place in New York from 8 through 10 May of this year. More than 6,000 people were gathered there, including more than 60 heads of state and government, and 400 children and adolescents who took part in a Special Children’s Forum. A document was approved at the close of the Special Session, setting forth the goals that must be met in the coming decade by all of humanity in order to improve the life of children across the planet.

“What would I like to tell the heads of state about the rights of children?” was the name of the composition-writing competition held as part of the UNICEF campaign “Say Yes for Children”. (More than 95 million people worldwide signed the “Say Yes for Children” pledge.) The winner in Russia, eight-year-old Klementina Shirshova of Moscow, travelled to New York for the Special Session. While there, she celebrated her ninth birthday, with the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan himself (along with other delegates to the Special Children’s Forum) singing “Happy Birthday” to her.

“Children are the brightest part of our life; therefore, other children and I are the most important thing in the world. One must not lose sight of even one child. Protect children from war, and never leave children parentless. Give every child an education”. – This is what Klementina wrote in her essay, which she read out at the round table to the warm approval of the adults participating in the conference.

Taking part in the round table were delegates and official guests of the Forum: many-time World Chess Champion and UNICEF Good Will Ambassador Anatoly Karpov, and representatives of the Russian State Duma; the Russian Federation`s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Labour and Social Development, and Education; non-governmental organizations; and the press. Heading the round table was Rosemary McCreery, the UNICEF Representative in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Mr Karpov shared his impressions of the Special Session’s work. He led the debate on the problems of iodizing salt – problems which have become extraordinarily acute in Russia today.

“More than 100 million Russians suffer from a lack of iodine, which leads to illnesses of the thyroid gland, and the degeneration of mental and physical faculties”, said Mr Karpov. “From the mid-1930s to the end of the 70s, the Soviet Union produced 500,000 tonnes of iodized salt per year. It seemed as though the problem was solved. However, by the end of the 80s, twenty-five times less iodized salt was already being turned out, and today only 100,000 tonnes is being produced. We must change, as quickly as possible, this dangerous situation of insufficient iodized salt in the country, in order to save the health of the nation”.

As UNICEF Regional Ambassador for Central and Eastern Europe, CIS and the Baltic States, Mr Karpov considers it his primary duty to see that a law on the universal iodization of salt is passed, and strictly implemented.

“This is the main task for me today”, Mr. Karpov emphasized. “I have to get through to both the legislators and the people”.

The conference’s participants discussed the problems and tasks that must be considered to develop a National Plan of Action in the Interests of Children. This document will be a guarantee of the obligations of the nation’s adult population to its children and young adults. Representatives of the State Duma, the Ministry of Health, and the public organizations working for the interests of children joined in the discussion.

“Mama and Me”

In Volgograd, the international competition “Mama and Me”, dedicated to the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children, has wrapped up. The young artists’ contest, was organized by the Volgograd Region Art Gallery under the aegis of UNICEF.

At the competition, 1,793 works of art from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Mexico were exhibited. The works were executed in the most varied of techniques and genres. Mothers, grandmothers and children – happy, sad, touching, and angry – looked out at the visitors to the gallery.

A children’s holiday was organized by the city for the International Day of the Family. Local residents had a hard time viewing the pictures, since family groups were clustered around them on the pavement. Instead, mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandchildren enthusiastically began drawing themselves. A jolly and genuine family warmth was achieved.

Although it is said that there are no untalented children, some children are exceptionally talented. Twelve-year-old Misha Bundikov lives in the Volgograd Region city of Volzhskii. He has been drawing for as long as he can remember, and his first personal exhibition was held when the young artist was only six years old. Misha, who somewhat resembles Harry Potter, has already become a laureate of several Russian and international competitions. Misha had three works at UNICEF’s “Mama and Me” competition: Mama and Me, Our Family, and A Portrait of My Grandmother. The Volgograd Region Gallery is certain that a great future in art awaits Misha.

Make Way For Young People

On June 5, as part of his official trip to the Russian Federation, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan visited the Russian Association for the Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases’ SANAM Clinic. Also taking part in the meeting were the Street Children Urban Center, and the Foundation “No to Alcoholism and Narcotics” (NAN). All these organizations are partners of UNICEF under the “Young People Health and Development” and “Children in Need Special Protection” programs.

In their presentations, Sergei Dubovskii (SANAM), Oleg Zykov (NAN), and Svetlana Volkova (Street Children) highlighted the problem of HIV/AIDS spreading in Russia, the experience accumulated during their work in this area, and the most pressing problems that must be solved in society in order to stop the epidemic.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan mentioned the importance of mobilizing the efforts of all society in the battle against HIV/AIDS. Thanking those involved for their work, Mr Annan hailed the involvement of Russian youngsters in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In particular, he said: “I am very happy that so many young people are involved in this battle, since children listen to their peers much more than they do to those with grey in their hair”.

International Days

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