Bhopal: UNICEF has partnered with the Madhya Pradesh Tourism (MPT) Department and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to illuminate historic and landmark buildings in blue colour under its "GoBlue" theme to raise awareness on child rights issues.
"November 20 is marked as World Children's Day. UNICEF and civil society organisations (CSOs) mark the day and week as Child Rights Week. GoBlue is one of the themes of this year's World Children's Day to stand for child rights," a UNICEF official said.
To mark the day, all properties of the state tourism department and the ASI heritage properties, like Jahaz Mahal in Mandu in Dhar district and others will go blue, he said.
"To start with, the Pyramid of Jagran LakeCity University in Bhopal went blue on November 17 while on Monday night Jahaz Mahal or the Ship Palace in Mandu, Dhar district of MP were illuminated in blue," UNICEF Madhya Pradesh communication specialist Anil Gulati told PTI on Tuesday.
He also expressed his gratitude towards the ASI and MPT for their partnership for child rights. In addition, UNICEF in partnership with the State Government is also working to provide a platform for expressions of children on climate change by exhibiting images on the theme taken by children, he said.
UNICEF's "Go Blue" campaign for World Children's Day encourages people to show support for children's rights by wearing something blue, changing their profile picture online, signing a petition to demand a world where every child is safe and supported and incorporating blue into their day.
On World Children's Day, schools and landmark buildings around the world light up blue. Some of the landmark buildings that were lit up in blue colour in the past include the Acropolis of Athens (Greece), the Empire State Building (New York), the Al Noor Mosque (New Zealand), the European Parliament in Belgium, the Shanghai Tower in China, the House of Peoples' Representatives in Ethiopia, The Rashtrapati Bhavan in India, The Petra in Jordan and The Frida Kahlo House in Mexico, UNICEF website said.
World Children's Day is celebrated on November 20th to mark the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). UNICEF raises awareness for child rights and issues impacting children on this day, it added.
