National Children’s Day is celebrated annually in the United States of America (USA) on the second Sunday of June. This year, National Children’s Day 2023 will be celebrated on June 11. The main highlight of the day is to promote the well-being and rights of children, the importance of children in society, and educate people about the challenges they may face. Furthermore, National Children's Day is a reminder for societies and governments to prioritize investments and policies that support the rights of children. The day serves as a platform to work towards ensuring a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment for children to grow, learn, and thrive. As National Children’s Day 2023 nears, here's all you need to know about National Children’s Day 2023 date, history and significance. International Children's Book Day 2023: Know Date, History, Importance and Significance of the Global Event.

National Children's Day History

The origins of National Children’s Day in the US can be traced to the 1800s. According to records, the date of celebrating National Children’s Day has been changing ever since 1857. Dr Charles Leonard, a pastor of the Universalist Church of the Redeemer in Chelsea, Massachusetts, was the first to establish Children’s Day in 1857 on the second Sunday of June and named the day Rose Day. He had organized the day to hold a special service for children, including baptizing them. The name was later changed from Rose Day to Flower Sunday and then eventually called Children’s Day. Children’s Day Date in India: Know History, Significance of Bal Diwas on Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Jayanti.

Later in 1995, US President Bill Clinton changed the date to October 8 and established it as National Children’s Day. This was followed by President George Bush, who proclaimed that the first Sunday of June should be celebrated as National Children’s Day. In 2009, Pat Quinn, the Governor of Illinois, proclaimed that National Children’s Day would be celebrated on the second Sunday of June every year — and that’s how it has been since then.

National Children's Day Significance

National Children's Day is a perfect opportunity to work on initiatives focusing on children's health, education, and well-being. The day serves as an opportunity to advocate for children's rights and to address issues such as child poverty, child labour, access to quality education, healthcare, and protection from violence and exploitation. On this day, several events and programs are held across the US to engage children in activities promoting physical, emotional, and social development.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 11, 2023 12:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).