ISLAMABAD: The building of the official presidential residence Aiwan-e-Sadr was illuminated with blue lights to join the world community in observing World Children’s Day annually celebrated on November 20.
“Aiwan-e-Sadr’s building is hued blue in connection with Universal Children’s Day i.e., 20 November 2021,” according to the official Twitter handle of the President of Pakistan. Last year, all the landmark buildings including the Aiwan-e-Sadr, Parliament House, Supreme Court of Pakistan and Pakistan Monument went blue to mark the day.
To celebrate the day, iconic landmarks and monuments in Pakistan turned blue in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Ziarat and Peshawar. This initiative is led by the Ministry of Human Rights, Unicef and its partners, to mark Pakistan’s collective commitment towards protecting child rights.
Pakistan has set a world record in the number of buildings turning blue on November 20 since 2019. The buildings, monuments, and landmarks across the world have turned blue since 2018 to mark World Children’s Day as part of a global initiative led by Unicef.
The UNICEF has been working tirelessly for child rights all over the world since 1946. UNICEF opened its first office in Karachi in 1948, in the year following Pakistan’s independence. On this day, the leadership of Pakistan also reiterated their resolve to protect the country’s children from all types of exploitation, exclusion and marginalisation.
According to the United Nations, World Children Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year to “promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.”
The celebration on November 20, in fact marks the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This year, Children’s Day is being celebrated under the theme of “A Better Future for Every Child.” According to Unicef, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown how inequality affected the rights of every child.
“From climate change, education and mental health, to ending racism and discrimination, children and young people are raising their voices on the issues that matter to their generation and calling for adults to create a better future.”
Aiwan-e-Sadr’s building is hued blue in connection with Universal Children’s Day i.e., 20 November 2021.#ChildrensDay2021 pic.twitter.com/UDBLkxTiB2
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) November 19, 2021
