International Children's Day is officially recognized across the world on June 1st, but in South Korea is celebrated on May 5th.
And it is a BIG deal here. EVERYONE has the day off on Children's Day. It is a day for parents to shower their children with gifts and take them on excursions to zoos, movies, parades, amusement parks, and even air shows. All of Korea caters to children on this day, with stores giving away free treats and having all kinds of characters-- from Batman to Hello Kitty-- line the streets to take pictures with the kids. It made me happy to be able to walk around all day and see kids being celebrated and loved on. And in a culture that requires so much of it's men in the workforce, it was especially great to see so many fathers take this opportunity to spend time with their children and families.
I also learned a tid-bit about the history of Children's Day today that took my appreciation for the holiday to even greater heights. Apparently, under Japanese colonial rule, May 5th was celebrated as "Boy's Day," but in 1975 the Korean government replaced that holiday with "Children's Day," making the simple statement that, "Even though many families may still want a son, since a son must look after his parents when they get old, we are all important." Thus, Children's Day is a marker of Korea's progress towards embracing the value of *ALL* it's children, and is a tangible picture of this country's desire to overcome cultural norms and stereotypes that have served to devalue women and girls. Knowledge of this history lends even deeper value and meaning to the holiday, and certainly deepens my own love and appreciation for the fact that my mother chose to celebrate Korean Children's Day for my sister and I growing up.
So, in honor of Children's Day in Korea and in keeping with the values that the holiday affirms-- those of equality and the right to life and happiness for ALL children-- I want to share this video from UNICEF with you, and ask you to join me in prayer for the children of our world. (BTW-- the precious faces at 1:32 belong to Korean children, dressed in hanboks, or traditional Korean garb. A-dorable.)
And, on a very directly related note, I'd also like to share and recommend a book that I have recently read. The words "powerful" and "gut-wrenching" fall far short of an apt description for this autobiographical account of Ishmael Beah's experiences as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. To coerce a child into a life of slavery and violence is one of the worst violations against humanity imaginable... And on a day when I am surrounded by the faces of so many children filled with life and joy at the opportunity to simply enjoy being children, I cannot help but mourn for those who have been robbed of that same right. Read this book-- it will be impossible for you to walk away unchanged.
