The Global Center exhibits blue lighting to mark World Children's Day 2019 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 20, 2019. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
More than 10 Chinese cities lit up local landmarks with blue lights for World Children's Day.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is the first legally binding international convention to affirm human rights for all children.
SHANGHAI, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 10 Chinese cities lit up local landmarks with blue lights on Wednesday symbolizing a brighter future for children, as China joins the rest of the world in the annual celebration of World Children's Day.
Celebrated on Nov. 20, World Children's Day is a global day of action for children and by children of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in China and the second-tallest in the world, was lit up on Wednesday night, with the participation of more than 200 children.
In Beijing, the Olympic Tower, the Winter Games Countdown Tower and the National Aquatics Center (Water Cube) lit up with support from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. A total of 60 children came together in Beijing Olympic Park to write down their wishes.
The National Aquatics Center, or the "Water Cube", exhibits the numbers "1120" along with blue lighting to mark World Children's Day 2019 in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 20, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)
Changchun, Chengdu, Shenzhen and other cities across China participated in this year's Light Up for Children initiative. A series of online and offline events and exhibits were also held in China to focus on creating a brighter future for children.
"I hope that all children, including those with disabilities, can enjoy equal rights, equal opportunities and grow up happily," Wang Chenbo, a 12-year-old boy from Heze City, Shandong Province with a hearing disability, said at the Shanghai event.
High-rise buildings exhibit blue lighting to mark World Children's Day 2019 in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, Nov. 20, 2019. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is the first legally binding international convention to affirm human rights for all children.
"Today is a special day for children. For the ones here in Shanghai, children across China, and for every single one of the 2.3 billion children around the world. Today, the world celebrates World Children's Day," said Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF representative to China.
Wang Jiarui, chairman of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and the China Welfare Institute, said the two organizations will carry out more activities that support children's growth and development, and build more communication platforms for exchanges between Chinese teenagers and their counterparts from around the world. ■
