World Children’s Day, November 20th, 2025
In a world facing growing challenges, the active participation of children has become more vital than ever. For the Institute, FMSI, and the Secretariat of Solidarity – CMI, November 20th, World Children’s Rights Day, will continue to stand out as a key moment to uplift their voices and reaffirm this commitment.
This date will once again commemorate the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of two pivotal documents: the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). As the Convention reaches its 36th anniversary, it will serve as a reminder that while most nations have ratified it, the journey toward full recognition and realization of children’s rights will still require sustained efforts, cultural change, and deep collaboration.
In 2025, FMSI will also celebrate a significant milestone: 18 years of action, advocacy, and commitment to the rights of children and young people. Since its founding in 2007, FMSI has worked tirelessly to amplify the voices of the most vulnerable and promote a culture of human rights within the Marist world and beyond.
As part of this celebration, FMSI and the Secretariat of Solidarity – CMI will renew their dedication to promoting children’s rights, by organizing a series of events, campaigns, and international collaborations. November 20th will continue to be a key opportunity to highlight the impact of this shared mission.
Over the years, FMSI has marked this day through diverse and meaningful initiatives. In 2025, the event will return with even greater participation. Building on the momentum of the 2024 edition, the initiative will gather more boys and girls from around the world, who will raise their voices and share their visions for a more just and inclusive future.
The event will take place on November 20th and will be livestreamed globally. Children and young people from countries will join sharing testimonies about their realities, challenges, and dreams.
My Voice, My Right: Listening to Children Around the World
On 20 November 2025, the Global Marist Family gathered once again to celebrate World Children’s Day, united by a simple yet powerful conviction: every day is Children’s Day. Across two online sessions —in English and Spanish, moderated by Br. Niño Pizarro and Br. Diego Zawadzky— hundreds of participants from 60 countries joined to listen, share, and reaffirm a mission deeply rooted in the Marist identity: standing beside children, protecting their dignity, defending their rights, and believing in their possibilities.
The celebration opened with the words of Br. Peter Gerard Carroll, the new Superior General of the Marist Brothers, who reminded everyone that children are not only tomorrow’s promise but today’s responsibility. He invited participants to listen carefully to the voices of children, because their voices teach us, challenge us, and show us the world as it truly is. Protection, participation, and empowerment of children, especially those at the margins, are not optional values—they are the heart of the Marist way.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child and UPR Participation
The event continued with an introduction to the Convention on Child Rights, recalling the four guiding principles and how they shape every educational, pastoral, and solidarity initiative throughout the Institute. This year, special emphasis was placed on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), where FMSI and the Secretariat of Solidarity – CMI worked with more than one thousand children across twelve countries to ensure their voices influenced human rights recommendations. The testimonies gathered through the UPR process, as highlighted by Br. Nnodu Onwutalu, Br. Diego Zawadzky, and Pamela Difino, showed how children’s participation transforms not only reports but also adults’ understanding of what protection and dignity truly mean.
Voices of Children and Young People
At the centre of the celebration were the voices of the children and young people themselves. Recorded testimonies came from Lebanon, South Africa, Cambodia, Madagascar, the Solomon Islands, Colombia, Bolivia, Mexico, Brazil, Honduras, and Paraguay. They spoke of hopes that persist during conflict, displacement, poverty, and exclusion. Some expressed the joy of learning in a safe school; others spoke about migration, disability inclusion, or the longing for opportunities their communities still lack. Their words reminded everyone that rights are not fulfilled through documents alone, but through daily commitment and concrete actions that touch real lives.
Among the most moving moments were the live messages. During the English session, Vennedich F. from the Marcellin Center in the Philippines offered a heartfelt testimony about the impact of accompaniment and education in his life, reminding everyone that advocacy becomes real when it changes a child’s tomorrow. In the Spanish session, Yenneydi Gómez Castro, connected from Maicao (Colombia), where she volunteers with Corazón sin Fronteras, sharing how her work with migrant and Wayuu children has shaped her own understanding of solidarity and justice. Shortly after, Isabel González Montoya from Costa Rica spoke openly about the importance of feeling safe, respected, and empowered, highlighting how essential it is for young people to be given space to speak and be heard.
Awards and recognitions
The celebration continued with the annual awards established by FMSI to highlight projects that embody the Marist commitment to children and women:
- The “A Better World for Children” Award honoured the project “Rebuilding hope: resilience and autonomy for children affected by conflict and abuse in North Kivu” from the Democratic Republic of Congo, carried out in a context marked by conflict and instability, yet full of courage and community strength.
- The “Margot També Award”, created with the Blue Marists of Aleppo, recognised the project “Women spinning wisdom and weaving transformation”, a remarkable initiative from the Province of Norandina that advances women’s rights and gender equality.
Through videos and messages shared during the event, these awards showed how Marist communities continue to be present where rights are most at risk and where hope is most needed.
Every day is Children’s Day
As the ceremony drew to a close, Andrea Rossi, Director of FMSI, reminded participants that the mission does not end at the close of an event. “We will not leave any child behind,” he affirmed, recalling that no one is free until everyone is free. Br. Jorge Gaio, President of FMSI, also offered moving words, observing that the voices heard throughout the day are not an addition to our mission—they are the mission. Both called the global Marist community to continue nurturing spaces where children can participate fully and influence decisions that shape their present and future.
Every day is Children’s Day. Not as a slogan, but as a commitment lived daily in classrooms, community centres, refugee camps, pastoral work, advocacy spaces, and in every place where Marists accompany children. The young people who spoke today are not waiting for tomorrow; they are already leading the way, inviting us to follow with courage, tenderness, and hope.
