'Say Yes for Children'
 People of all ages
are joining together as part of a new Global Movement for Children,
determined to build a better world for children and for all of us.
Their message is
straightforward: the citizens of the world care about children and
expect governments to keep the promises they make to them.
More than 94
million people have said Yes.
In a ceremony at UN headquarters on 7 May
2002, 12-year-old Barron Hanson presented the ‘Say Yes for Children’
pledge tally to Mr. Nelson Mandela and Mrs. Graça Machel,
inspirational leaders of the Global Movement for Children.
"We want you to know that 'Say Yes for
Children' has turned out better than you could ever have expected,"
Barron told the audience. "It's about so much more than just numbers,
and this is what we hope you tell the leaders of the General Assembly.
In fact, we hope you tell our story to everyone you meet. Tell the
leaders that the lessons of 'Say Yes' are that millions of people are
expecting leadership, looking for leadership and ready to support
leaders who are committed to children. Tell them, please, that this is
the first step of a long journey that we are ready to make with them."
The 'Say Yes for Children' campaign
supports 10 priority actions to change the world so that children
everywhere will enjoy their right to health, peace and dignity. It was
kicked off in April 2001, when Mr. Mandela and Mrs. Machel said 'Yes'
over the Internet. The number of pledges is still growing.
There are amazing stories behind the
numbers. In Kazakhstan, 3.5 million students, parents, and teachers
pledged on one day. One in every four people in Turkey and one in
every five people in Jordan have made pledges. In Guinea, a village
chief moved his pledge drive to an indoor market when children
insisted that he keep going even though it had begun to rain. In
war-affected countries such as Afghanistan, UNICEF staff were able to
collect pledges despite often dangerous and tense circumstances. In
Italy, firemen promoted 'Say Yes' in pizza parlors across the country.
And in Peru, 800,000 children turned out for a special 'Say Yes'
voting day in schools.
Ms. Nane Annan, wife of UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, accepted Barron's challenge to those
present to help muster the leadership necessary to change the world.
"You're really inspirational," said Ms. Annan. "We adults speak those
words that our hearts would have us shout: We cannot waste our
children, not another one, not another day."
The ceremony ended with a performance by
a group of rap artists. "In a world that's out of tune, we can hear a
melody," they sang. "It's the children of the world that we're here to
represent. All over the world, peace to every girl and every boy."
Source: http://www.unicef.org
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