PRESS RELEASE
300 children will learn about their rights with Equitas and share their ideas with decision-makers
Montreal, November 18, 2015 – On November 19th, 2015, Equitas will host a special activity in the Senate to celebrate National Child Day. The event will take place from 10-11am. 300 children (grade 4, 5 and 6 – 10-12 years old) from Ottawa schools will take over the Senate for this hour of celebration and will learn about their rights through two Equitas Play It Fair! activities. These activities will give children the opportunity to explore why diversity is important to them and ways they can share their ideas and opinions so they can be heard. “We are thrilled to welcome Equitas to the Senate Chamber for this special event,” says Senator Munson. “Teaching children about their rights is central to National Child Day and Play It Fair! offers a fun and engaging way to educate them.” Ottawa children will also take part in the national Equitas Postcard to Parliament Campaign with their schools. Held annually on National Child Day, this campaign encourages Canadian children from all across Canada to send a postcard to the Prime Minister to let him know why children’s rights matter to them. 20,000 postcards will be filled out by children all across Canada. This year, the postcards focus on Article 3 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child that states that the best interest of the child must be the primary consideration when adults make decisions that affect children. “The 2015 National Child Day celebrations in the Senate represent a great opportunity for children from schools in the Ottawa area to share their ideas with the Senators and other decision-makers on Parliament Hill,” says Ian Hamilton, Executive Director of Equitas. “By participating in Play It Fair! activities, children learn the skills they need to understand their rights and be part of positive change in their communities.” “We are proud to support this initiative that encourages young generations to express their ideas on the importance of diversity and human rights values. It empowers them to find creative ways to promote inclusion, respect and cooperation within their community, and shows them that their voice counts.” Jane Duchscher, Senior Vice President, Ontario North and East Region, TD Bank Group. The TD Bank Group, has been a longtime supporter of Play it Fair! nationally which ensures that over 100,000 Canadian children each year get to play with a purpose, say no to bullying and embrace diversity. Celebrated annually on November 20th, National Child Day is a day dedicated to promoting and safeguarding the rights of children and youth. About Equitas – International Centre for Human Rights Education Since 1967, Equitas has worked for the advancement of equality, social justice and respect for the human rights in communities across Canada and around the world. In Canada, we partner with more than 500 local organizations and municipalities to offer training and coaching to strengthen their leadership programming for Canadian children in day camps, after school programs and schools. The award-winning Play It Fair! program is an innovative initiative for children aged 6-12 to reinforce their understanding of human rights, to equip them with the knowledge and skills to address challenges such as bullying, exclusion and discrimination, and give them the opportunities to reach their full potential and become leaders in their communities. Learn more about Play It Fair! in Canada >
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Information : Annie Billington, Communications Manager Equitas – International Centre for Human Rights Education Office: (514) 954-0382, ext. 247 Cell: (514) 625-3581 abillington@equitas.org