| This
page is background information, last updated in May
2002 and still available for reference. For the latest on
the Special Session on Children, please go to the Special
Session index.
Abigail's Diary: Sunday 5 May, 2002
Whew! What a day! Today I was again able to see the essence
of 'child power'. Everyone, regardless of country, language,
age, gender and religious and political background, was given
an equal chance to speak up.
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As the Children's Forum gets under way with much fanfare,
Abigail and her group come up with a battle cry for
the week!
View the Video
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Everything started at 9 a.m, when we got to the conference
room for the start of the Children's Forum. The Permanent
Representative of Jamaica, the Executive Director of UNICEF,
and, of course, the UN Secretary-General welcomed us. There
were two emcees, one child from India and another from Jamaica.
We were given an overview of the Children's Forum and the
Special Session. The opening ceremony was spiced up by the
Young People's Chorus of New York and an ethnic dance troupe.
The singing and dancing were fabulous!
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| Waiting
for the bus at the UN to go over to the Manhattan Center. |
After the opening programme, everyone was able to take a
quick break. When we went back, the crowd was already 99 per
cent children. Most of the adults were gone. Then we divided
up into regions. I was with the South-East Asia group. There
was a discussion about everyone's expectations, and then every
country was given a chance to choose three top priority issues
to bring up. For the Philippines, they were:
1) Participation and partnerships
2) Improvement of school and health facilities
3) Fighting against poverty
When everybody came together to share, we voted for two major
issues we want to present at the Children's Forum. We decided
they would be education and exploitation/abuse. We were also
asked to come up with a battle cry. For Asia, it's 'WORK WITH
FUN!!!!!'
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| More
promising food on sale in the street. |
When it was time for lunch, I didn't immediately get my food.
I had an interview with CNN, and had another chance to talk
about my thoughts. Then I got my lunch -- but that doesn't
mean I ate my lunch. It was soda, apple, carrots and a tuna-spinach
sandwich. I like tuna, but spinach tastes weird. I love apples,
but I hate carrots.
After lunch, I had some pictures taken of me in the exhibition
area of the UN, and then I returned to the conference room
for the afternoon session. We focused on the outcome document
for the Children's Forum, children's experiences in the national
'Say Yes for Children' campaign, and some tips on how to handle
the press and how to interact with media people.
This has again been a day full of God's blessings. I am tired
but fulfilled. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!
UNICEF supports the right of every child to be heard,
and therefore provides this opportunity for children to voice
their views and impressions of the United Nations Special
Session on Children. The report above reflects the opinions
of an individual child delegate to the Special Session and
does not represent the policies or positions of UNICEF.
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