“六一”系列2

The International Children's Day (ICD) is celebrated¹ in numerous countries, usually (but not always) on June 1 each year.

Origin

The ICD had its origin in theWorld Conference for the Wellbeingof Children（世界儿童福利大会）in Geneva, Switzerland  in 1925. It is not clearas to（关于）why June 1 was chosen as the ICD: one theory has it that the Chinese consul-general in San Francisco (USA) gathered a number of Chinese orphans² to celebrate theDragon Boat Festival（端午节）in 1925, which happened to be on June 1 that year, and also coincided with the conference in Geneva.

June 1 has since been observed as the ICD by numerous countries, especially by Communist countries; in the Western world the ICD is usually celebrated on other days of the year (if at all), and there is often little public awareness³ about these celebrations. Consequently there is sometimes amisperception（错误观点）that June 1 as the ICD was a Communist invention. Nonetheless, in recent years even some groups within the United States started observing the ICD on June.

Children's Day in Japan

National Children's Day in Japan is known asKodomo no Hi（日本儿童节，每年5月5日）.  It is celebrtaed on May5. The family celebrates the festival withKashiwamochi(rice cakes filled with red beans and wrapped with oak leaves) and Chimaki (rice cakes wrapped with bamboo leaves).

According to the Kodansha encyclopedia⁴, the origin of the festival was from China in 839. On May 5, Chinese people hang medical herbs from the eaves of the roof in order to repel⁵ disease. When the custom came to Japan, people used Shobu (irises⁶) instead since irises were believed to repel evil spirits.

Children's Day in India

Most schools have cultural programmes for the day, with the students managing it all. All over the country, various cultural, social, and even corporate⁷, institutions conduct competitions for children.

Children's Day is a day for children to engage in fun and frolic. Schools celebrate this day by organising cultural programmes. Teachers of the school perform songs and dances for their students. Various competitions like quizzes, fancy dress competitions, elocutions are organised on this day.

Children are also treated to a movie and lunch.Television networks have in the recent years started to air special programmes all day long for kids on November 14, making this day a special treat.