Over 40 cities in China light up in blue for World Children's Day, to support a child-friendly society for all

Beijing, 20 November 2023 – With support from UNICEF, 49 cities and counties across China are lighting up buildings and communities in blue on World Children's Day, today, to show their commitment to children's rights. This year, skyscrapers in Beijing's Chaoyang District and in the Shanghai Bund are turning blue. Other areas are doing creative light-ups. In Malipo County, Yunnan Province, for example, children lit up their school with glow sticks.

The theme for 2023 is 'building a child-friendly society for all'. An online opinion poll conducted by UNICEF in the run-up to the event revealed that 98 per cent of children and young people under the age of 25 believe that building a child-friendly society for all is “very important”2. There are five key pillars of a child friendly society: Equality and inclusion; children's participation; quality social services; safe living environments; and play and leisure with family. Of these, 32 per cent of young poll respondents said that safety and inclusion was most important to them.

The child-led event was themed around building a child-friendly society for all. It featured an exhibition of photos taken by children and young people across China, which raised awareness of issues faced by children with disabilities. Children also shared their own reflections of a child-friendly society through artwork, calligraphy, theatre and song, including a performance of ‘In the Future’, a song written by UNICEF Ambassador Wang Yuan for World Children's Day.

(Source: UNICEF China)