World Children’s Day program:

N and E children to participate

Priyanka Kurugala

Children who lived amidst the war in the North and East will participate in the World Children’s Day national ceremony. “It will be a special event,” Child Development and Women’s Affair Minister Tissa Karalliyadda said.

Child Development and Women’s Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadda and Deputy Minister M L A M Hizbullah, the press conference. Picture by Rukmal Gamage

The World Children’s Day national ceremony will be held under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Swarnapali Girls Collage in Anuradhapura from October 1-3, the Minister said addressing a press conference at the Government Information Department yesterday.

The theme of the Children’s Day is “Give hands to enlighten the children.” Around 525 children including from the Northern, Eastern and North Central provinces will participate in this national program. Apart from the main program, the Ministry has organized numerous programs at provincial level to mark the World Children’s Day national ceremony. On the third day (October 3) a commemoration stamp and first day cover will be issued to mark the occasion.

The Ministry has identified 8,000 widows with three children in the Batticaloa District alone. Now the Government has planned to provide self-employment to these helpless women with the assistance of the Indian government, Child Development and Women’s Affairs Deputy Minister M L A M Hizbullah said.

Addressing the press conference Ministry Secretary Namini Gunasekara said, the three day National program will be held as a camp.

This program consists of numerous items. Screening of a film, physical training programs, dental health clinics and counseling programs are among them. Drama competitions, music and art will also be held.

A perehera will be held by pre-schoolchildren followed by a cultural show at night.