Over 50 cities and 600 schools in China light up for World Children's Day, to support children’s mental health

Beijing, Chengdu, 20 November 2024 - With support from UNICEF, 55 cities and counties across China, along with over 600 schools, are marking their commitment to children’s rights for World Children's Day. The theme for 2024 is mental health. Many cities and schools have implemented creative light ups such as by painting murals for children on this theme, while others are lighting up buildings and monuments in blue.

As the culmination of a month-long campaign, UNICEF and the Ministry of Education today hosted a flagship event at the Number 11 School of Tianfu New Area in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Both the event and campaign aim to raise awareness about mental health and listen to children’s voices about the challenges they face and solutions in their schools. The event, which included a play on mental health created by children, was also livestreamed across China.

“The Ministry of Education attaches great importance to the mental health of students, together with the National Health Commission and other relevant departments,” Zhou Li, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, Ministry of Education, said at the event in Chengdu. “In 2023, we implemented a special action plan to promote students' mental health, promote the comprehensive development of mental health education, and improve the level of mental health work in schools.”

World Children's Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, on 20 November in 1989. Globally, more than one in seven children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 are living with a diagnosed mental health condition, with severe consequences for their childhoods. Mental health problems are often driven by academic pressure, bullying, online exposure, and relationships with other children and parents.

“Every child has the right to grow up in a loving, nurturing and safe environment,” said UNICEF Representative to China Amakobe Sande. “When we ignore children’s right to mental health and wellbeing, we also undermine their other rights – such as the right to learn. But if we can all come together – UNICEF, the Government, schools, parents, teachers, and others – to take action on children’s mental health, we can build a better future for all.”

At the event, UNICEF also presented the results of an online survey on mental health for children and adolescents aged up to 24 in China. A total of 1,880 people responded, of whom 54 percent described their emotions over the past week as “neither happy nor sad”. Around 48 percent said they would talk to their parents if they felt sad and 40 percent to a friend. The main barriers to seeking help were that respondents thought they would be laughed at or judged (23 percent), that there was no point in talking (20 percent), or that the person they told might not keep it confidential (19 percent).

Respondents’ top tips to those struggling with mental health issues included: “take a walk to clear your mind,” “speak to someone you trust” and “love yourself.”

Globally, UNICEF also released a new report for World Children’s Day. ‘The State of the World’s Children 2024: The Future of Childhood in a Changing World’, projects how three major global forces will impact children’s lives by 2050 and beyond. These megatrends – demographic change, climate and environmental crises, and breakthrough technologies – provide key indications of the challenges and opportunities children may face in the future.

World Children's Day 2024 was supported by many UNICEF partners across China. These included:

• The 55 cities and counties that lit up buildings in blue or launched creative light-ups in communities are: Baoding, Beijing, Binzhou, Changsha, Chaozhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Dongguan, Dongying, Dunhuang, Foshan, Ganzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Hebi, Heze, Huzhou, Huangshan, Jieyang, Jinan, Jining, Jiuquan, Kunming, Kunshan, Longchuan, Mile, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Quzhou, Quanzhou, Shanwei, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Shantou, Suzhou, Tianjing, Weifang, Weihai, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Wuxi, Xi’an, Xianxian, Xianyang, Xiong’an, Ya’an, Yantai, Yangzhou, Yichang, Yiwu, Zhengzhou and Zibo.
• Meanwhile over 600 schools across China celebrated World Children’s Day by holding events such as a creative light-up or special lessons on mental health.
• Xinhua News Agency reported on the UNICEF-supported Adolescent Mental Health and Development programme in schools and on World Children's Day events across China. It also supported an online activation to call for public support to the promotion of children’s mental health.
• CCTV Children produced and broadcast a series of special programmes featuring children’s voices on mental health issues.
• UNICEF Ambassadors, including actor Chen Kun, actress Ma Yili, singer and songwriter Wang Yuan, basketball player Jeremy Lin and UNICEF Special Advocate for Sports and Child Development and footballer Wang Shuang, supported the World Children's Day digital campaign to call for joint efforts to safeguard children’s mental health.
• The World Children's Day event was livestreamed through digital channels on Xinhuanet.com, Weibo, Bilibili, Kuaishou, Douyin and WeChat Channel.
• Weibo also initiated discussions on World Children's Day topics. A dedicated photo frame was made available for both Weibo and WeChat Channel users. On Kuaishou, a special page was promoted. On Bilibili, livestream with audio description were provided.
• Posters and videos raising awareness of World Children's Day featured on China's high-speed rail network and Beijing subway Line 10.
• Businesses that contributed advertising space and supported light-up events included: City Window; Huatie Media Group; NewWorld China; Shanghai Panlong TianDi; Summit Ad and Media; Ascott China; Tewchou International Federation.

At the end of the World Children’s Day event in Chengdu, students, parents and teachers from the Number 11 School of Tianfu New Area joined their counterparts from over 600 schools across China to deliver a call to action on mental health. Written by students, this calls for action from teachers, parents, communities and children themselves.

“A child-friendly society is woven from countless acts of kindness,” the students, parents and teachers said. “When we open the windows of children’s hearts, the sun will shine into every corner. Let’s listen to every child’s voice, and light up their future.”

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The full results of the China online survey on mental health can be found here: www.unicef.cn/en/wcd-mental-health-survey

2. The full text of the call to action, ‘Let’s join forces to take action on children’s mental health’, can be found here: www.unicef.cn/en/mental-health-cta

3. More information about the global State of the World’s Children report can be found here: www.unicef.org/reports/state-of-worlds-children/2024

4. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was adopted in November 1989 and ratified by China in 1992. The CRC acknowledges that children are individuals with their own special rights. It says that childhood lasts until 18 and is a special, protected time, in which children must be allowed to grow, learn, play, develop and flourish with dignity. The CRC also gives UNICEF its mandate to work for children in China and around the world.

5. UNICEF protects and promotes the rights and well-being of around 300 million children across China. Since 1979, we have worked in partnership with the Government of China in the areas of child protection, education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, especially for the most vulnerable children. UNICEF also provides humanitarian support during emergencies.

Photos and videos:

More World Children's Day resources, including high resolution photos and videos, can be downloaded here:

https://pan.baidu.com/s/14rgvLvqfkRtqZY_N0jsSPQ?pwd=f8av (Password: f8av)

The World Children’s Day event in Chengdu was livestreamed on several social media channels. You can watch a recorded version on Weibo here:
https://weibo.com/1749268803/P12BDiu9u