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HomeTrendingJune 16 – International Day of the African Child

June 16 – International Day of the African Child

nPostednon June 16, 2016

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nTodaynis the anniversary of something amazing, and something amazingly sad:

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nInnSoweto, South Africa, on this date in 1976, about 10,000 black schoolnchildren held a protest march!

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nThat’snright – ten THOUSAND kids, marching in a column more than half anmile long!

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nWhatnwere they protesting?

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  1. n Theirn crummy educations, and

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  3. n Then fact that they were not allowed to learn about things in their ownn language.

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nThenhugeness of this march was amazing! But what the South African policenofficers did about this protest was amazingly sad: they shot at thenstudents, injuring many. One of the students, Hector Pieterson, wasnkilled; he was just 13 years old.

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nTherenwere uprisings and protests for the next two weeks, and more than anhundred people were killed, and more than a thousand people wereninjured. But the images of the violent repression by the SouthnAfrican police galvanized the world to weigh in, and eventuallynapartheid was ended.

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nSincen1991 this date has been dedicated to the children of Africa.

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Kids in Morocco, above, and South Africa, below

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nOfncourse, the things that children need are the things that HUMANSnneed: clean water and air, plenty of safe food, modern medical care,nincluding vaccines, protection against mosquitos, stable government,nand peace. Environmental pollution, mosquito-borne diseases, poverty,nwar – all are children’s issues, but they are all human issues asnwell.

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Education doesn’t just mean schools (above),
but also includes self-teaching tools like computers
and tablets with internet access (below)

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nInwould say that “education” is a human issue, too, but most peoplenthink it is particularly a children’s issue. Improving education innAfrica seems to be the main thrust of today’s events.

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nAlsonon this date:

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nApache leader Geronimo’s birthday 

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nBloomsdaynin Ireland

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nAnniversarynof the first Ladies’ Day at a baseball game
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nAnniversarynof British universities being open to people of all faiths (hooraynfor freedom of religion!)

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nPlannahead:

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Checknout my Pinterest boards for:

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  • nJunen holidays

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  • nJunen birthdays

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  • nHistoricaln anniversaries in June

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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:

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  • nJulyn holidays

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  • nJulyn birthdays

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  • nHistoricaln anniversaries in July

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See also  October 3 - First Latin American Baseball Player in the World Series!
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