Children’s Day will be celebrated by many countries including Sri Lanka on October 1, 2020. Some countries will celebrate it on different days. In Sri Lanka, the State and Organisations involved with children will hold celebrations on this day.
Two other celebrations which are held annually for children are the ‘International Children’s Day’ on June 1 and ‘Universal Chidren’s Day’ on November 20.
Children’s Day was first celebrated on the second Sunday in June in 1856 by Rev. Charles Leonard of the Universalist Church of the Redeemer in Massachusetts, USA. He had a special children’s service and called it Rose day.
This name was later changed to Flower Sunday and then to Children’s Day.
It was the Republic of Turkey which officially declared a national holiday for Children’s Day in 1920 with the day set for April 23.
This was confirmed by the Founder and President of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Today, it is celebrated as the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day on April 23 with many events organised for children.
Other countries which celebrate Children’s Day include USA, New Zealand, China, Nigeria and Thailand.