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2014 marks the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, says Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Alan McIsaac.

“National Child Day is an opportunity to reflect on progress made in ensuring all children are treated with dignity and respect,” said Minister McIsaac. “Our early childhood educators and teachers, along with Islanders in a variety of professions, work to ensure our children are provided with every opportunity to reach their full potential.”

In 1989, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child became the first legally binding international convention to affirm human rights for all children, including civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights.

National Child Day is celebrated in Canada, on November 20, to recognize the rights of children and to celebrate children as meaningful and active participants in our communities. Children’s parades were held in Charlottetown, Cornwall and Summerside. Early learning and child care programs celebrated with special events including a Milk and Cookie Social in Montague and a parade through Ecole St. Augustin in Rustico.

“Each year, National Child Day highlights one of the children’s rights declared in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This year, the right being celebrated is the right to play,” says Sonya Hooper, Executive Director of the PEI Early Childhood Development Association. “Play is very important to children’s overall development. Play is foundational to children’s learning including their physical, social, and emotional development.”

The National Child Day Parade in Charlottetown is an annual event organized by Early Childhood Development Association of Prince Edward Island. To learn more about the organization or to learn more about early childhood education in Prince Edward Island, visit earlychildhooddevelopment.ca.