Happy Anniversary – wished on 30 voices of children!

1. Ariana, 20 (Baia Mare): The Children’s Board has taught me that it is always the right time to engage in change and that we all have a duty to ensure that the other children feel that they can be part of this journey. In a world that is concerned with sustainable resources, the constant investment in cultivating the spirit of democracy among “young people” around us is the most impactful improvement we can make. 

2. Adrian, 16 (Baia Mare): My experience with the Children’s Board has helped me understand that we need to look at a problem from all angles before making a decision and I’ve realised that the best ideas emerge when children, people with different mentalities, find the middle way. 

3. Dragoș, 15 (Bucharest): We all want a change, but are we ready for it? The Children’s Board has showed me that, although they are sometimes ignored, children are the most eager to improve their quality of life. All we need to do is listen to them. 

4. Rareș, 13 (Bucharest): I have been a member of the Children’s Board since 2020. In the beginning, I had little experience in volunteering or child participation, but the other members have helped me to fit in, to discover a great deal about participation and to get better at everything I do in the Board. The Children’s Board has helped me become more of a team player and manage my time in a way that allows me to do everything I have to. I really feel that the Children’s Board has helped me find a passion in this area of children’s rights and, if I were given a second chance, I would do it all over again. 

5. Rareș, 18 (Brăila): I have been involved in the Children’s Board from the very beginning; at first, we didn’t really know where we were heading, but we were driven by a common purpose: convincing decision makers to engage children in the decision-making that affects them. After working for dozens of hours, the Board produced the Bucharest EU Children’s Declaration, which got to all the European leaders of the time. Being involved in the writing of the Declaration is one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever lived. 

6. Tasnim, 19 (Constanța): We are living in a world where the role of the individual in society has been increasingly reduced, fitting into strict and limited patterns. Only by changing the mentality of the world we live in right now can we aspire to the community we are all dreaming of, and we, the children and young people, are the ones who can paint the picture of a better future. The most important lesson I have learned at the Children’s Board is that we must never give up when we want to change things for the better, no matter how many closed doors we come across. We have a voice that matters and that should not be filtered because of age.  

7. Dana, 20 (Cluj):  My experience with the Children’s Board has been formative and unique and I will always remember it with love and gratitude. We grew up with the Children’s Board, we learned to control our emotions, to take on challenges, to get better and better all the time and to inspire other children to join us. I think that the most precious things I have learned at the Children’s Board are: having the courage to act for the respect of children’s rights and believing in myself. 

8. Alex, 16 (Caracal): If I were to look back, not long ago, I would see a teenager that was very little involved in the community, but both UNICEF in Romania and the Romanian Children’s Board have helped me realise the importance of active engagement and the passion for the common good. 

9. Rania, 17 (Ploiești): Participating in the Children’s Board has been a remarkable personal development opportunity for me. The Children’s Board is an important democratisation factor as it secures our involvement in the decision-making that affects us.  

10. Sebi, 18 (Ploiești): The Children’s Board and UNICEF have helped me become more informed and confident when I talk about topics that carry a stigma in society, like child status. In reality, these topics interest and impact us and, due to my experience, now people trust me and open up to me. 

11. Rafaela, 13 (Suceava): My involvement in the Children’s Board has taught me how important motivation and dedication are when it comes to change. Not only have I met extraordinary people, but I have also understood how lucky we are to be able to express our views and enjoy social inclusion. 

12. Mihnea, 16 (Gherla): Although I have joined the Children’s Board only recently, I have learned how important it is for our opinions to be heard – since, with our imagination and creativity, we provide innovative solutions to the problems of the community and we thus help build a better future. 

13. Lorena, 17 (Dofteana): The way of thinking, analysing various situations and solutions are things that I have applied in my everyday life, often without realising that those are skills that I have learned in Children’s Board. I have met remarkable people and I have gotten to the right place for achieving my goal: make children’s voices heard!  

14. Dominique, 17 (Râmnicu Vâlcea): We often hear that children are the future. Yes, indeed, we are the future, but the Children’s Board has taught me that we are also the innovation, the change and the acceptance that the present needs so badly.  

15. Oana, 16 (Brașov): Thanks to the Children’s Board, I have become more involved, better informed and more aware of the problems facing society and children, in particular. The future is in our hands, but the present shapes our development. Together with the special people I have met, we now have the chance to make the world a place full of love, innovation and acceptance, a place where children’s voices are truly heard. 

16. Alexandra, 19 (Măgurele): The challenges faced after joining the Children’s Board have taught me what patience, teamwork and responsibility mean. But the most important lesson has been empathy. Because you cannot truly hear a child unless you lean down towards them, so that your smiles can meet at the same level. 

17. Kati, 17 (Iași): The Children’s Board has helped me gain self-confidence and has provided me with personal and professional development opportunities. I have really felt that my opinion matters and that I can put it into practice with extraordinary people. From public speaking, to stress management, the team has been a supportive family for me. 

18. Denisa, 19 (Constanța): The Children’s Board is the perfect community and the answer to your wanting to get involved and not knowing where to start. Teambuilding, trust, cooperation, equity and integrity are the key words that describe my work with the Board and whose importance I have discovered throughout my professional and personal development. If you are interested in the safety and well-being of the society in which you are living, then the Children’s Board is the support you need.  

19. Diana, 18 (Brezoi): The Children’s Board has been the central pillar of my development as an activist. I have had many opportunities to connect with children’s real problems and to contribute to problem-solving strategies. 

20. Petru, 21 (Piatra Neamț): I believe that the Children’s Board has managed to put a national and European spotlight on child participation; unfortunately, it will take time before we can see the results, but I am confident that our work will lead to children’s wide involvement in the decision-making at all levels in order to build a better future. 

21. Rareș, 17 (Cluj): Just because someone has not turned 18 does not mean that they have nothing to say. With the Children’s Board I have had the opportunity to experience participatory democracy, advocating for children’s involvement in the decision-making that affects them. 

22. Tudor, 19 (Bucharest): Participating in the Children’s Board was definitely a very important step in my growing up. I learned what “living up to one’s promise” and taking responsibility meant and, maybe most importantly, how powerful we are if we work together for the common good. 

23. Andrada, 16 (Vaslui): A year ago I was not too involved, so I wasn’t aware of the problems that children are facing in our country. The Children’s Board has had a strong impact on me and now that I am familiar with the problems and the needs of the children around me, I can work on finding good solutions together with them. 

24. Silvia, 18 (Vladila): Activism is, first and foremost, about the people and for the people. This is something that I constantly felt when I was involved in the Children’s Board, especially in the child rights-related processes, which made me understand how much we needed to keep an open mind in order to hear and embrace children’s voices. 

25. Cristina, 16 (Sîntana de Mureș): The Children’s Board has built my passion for activism and engagement since our work focuses on children’s voices and on the importance of our opinions. I have become aware of the power we, the children, have as a group and that – together – we can fight for what we believe in. 

26. Sophia, 18 (Afumați): My involvement in the Children’s Board has proved to me that my opinion matters and that it is worth making every possible effort for the change I want. The Children’s Board has also confirmed to me that I am not the only one who wants to get involved and who is devoted to this goal.  

27. Anda, 16 (Oradea): My experience with the Children’s Board has been truly amazing. I have learned that young people must get involved in their communities if they want a positive change. I am very grateful for my colleagues and for the UNICEF Romania team, which have been supporting us every step of the way. We, the children, are the solution! 

28. Eva, 13 (Remuș): Looking back, I expected my experience with the Children’s Board to be boring and dull, not at all one that would teach me so many useful and interesting things. The Children’s Board has inspired me to become an activist, especially when it comes to children’s visibility. 

29. Ioana, 18 (Iași): My experience with the Children’s Board has showed me that, although they sometimes face a tough and often unfriendly world, children can fight together for change. I have learned that it is important to always speak my mind (even – and mostly – when not asked) and to stay true to myself and loyal to the cause I support: a world where children’s well-being comes first and where every child is given the chance to express himself or herself. 

30. Ilinca, 16 (Onești): Passion, dedication and understanding, these are the tools we are working with every day, with UNICEF’s support. After one year with the Children’s Board, I believe that our projects are intended to ensure the development of each member through the help we give to those around us.