LET’S ALL CELEBRATE CHILDREN!
El Dia de Los Niños , a tradition that began in Mexico in 1925, is celebrated on April 30 . The idea was born from the first “World Conference for the Well-being of Children” that was held in Geneva, Switzerland in August 1925. At that time several countries selected days to celebrate children. Dia Del Niño, or Day of the Child, is an annual celebration throughout Mexico. This day recognizes children, their importance to society and their well-being.
This celebration of children was started in the US on April 30, 1997 and promoted by Pat Mora a literary advocate and award winning author who thought people in the US should join many Latin American countries in this celebration. Upon learning of this Mexican tradition Pat began developing the coupling of this day with Dia de Los Libros. Literacy goes hand in hand with the well-being of children. Her idea was to equate El Dia de los Ninos to El Dia de los Libros and to encourage the love for reading and learning. A time for parents to read together with their children, visit libraries and bookstores and to create a special library for children to enjoy at home. She presented her idea to the University of Arizona Latino faculty and staff. They contacted a local chapter for the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and Spanish-Speaking. In addition a group in Santa Fe New Mexio, a national Latina advocacy organization, endorsed the idea. From the grass roots beginning the idea grew for support in linking language and literature for Dia del Niño and became official in the US in 1997.
